This Time Around
by Mystical Jade
Summary: Sequel to AAE (An Ancient Evil) ... The Scouts and Ronins meet again, only this time they must save a little girl from the future. Read and Review, please. [Status: Complete]
1. This Time Around, Chapter 01

TTA01 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this story. It's for entertainment purposes only, and I'm making absolutely no profit whatsoever. Enjoy!

AN - Once again, my information might be a *little* off. I don't remember exactly what happens in the episode of Sailor Moon I'm referring to. Just thought I'd warn you, lol.

****

This Time Around

Chapter 1

"Small Lady, this way, please," a blue-haired woman told the tiny girl as she grabbed her hand. "Your mother awaits you."

"Sailor Mercury," the little girl replied. "What's going on? Why are we running?"

"There's no time to explain right now, Princess," Mercury replied. "The palace is under attack, and we need to get you to safety quickly."

"Under attack," Rini asked. "Does that mean that . . ."

"There's no time to explain," Mercury repeated as she burst into the throne room. "I've returned with your daughter, Neo Queen Serenity."

"Come here, sweetie," Serenity said as she opened her arms. Rini jumped into her mother's arms and began to cry.

"I'm scared, Mommy," she whimpered.

"Shh, it will all be okay," Serenity cooed.

"Neo Queen Serenity, I must go join the other Scouts. Will you and Small Lady be okay here by yourselves," Mercury asked.

"Of course. Go, protect the castle," the Queen answered. The other woman curtsied and turned to leave. "Sailor Mercury?"

"Yes, my Queen," she replied.

"Please, you and the others, please be careful," Serenity said with concern.

"Of course. We'll be fine," Mercury said with a smile. She left the throne room, and closed the door behind her.

"Mommy, I want to help, too," Rini said. Serenity smiled down at her daughter and shook her head. "But . . ."

"No buts, Rini. Please," Serenity interrupted with a sigh. She grasped the little girl and looked deep into her eyes. "Now, just go to my chambers. You'll be safer there."

"Mommy, I want to stay here with you," Rini exclaimed. "Where's Daddy? I want to stay with both of you!"

"No, Small Lady, and that is final," Serenity replied firmly. "Now please, go to my chambers. I will summon for you when it's safe." Tears filled the little girl's eyes, and she ran off. "I'm sorry, my sweet daughter," Serenity said softly. "I don't mean to be harsh." She closed her eyes in concentration as an explosion rocked the throne room wall . . .

"They always treat me like a baby," Rini sobbed as she ran down the hallway. She lost her balance as she ran, and tripped and fell. She cried out in pain and surprise, but bit her lower lip. "I refuse to cry," she shouted. "I'm going to help whether they like it or not!" She stood and slowly made her way down the hall. She stopped as she passed the room where the Silver Emperial Crystal was kept. She cautiously entered the room and stood before the crystal.

_"You are to never touch the crystal,"_ the phantom voice of Neo Queen Serenity whispered.

"I know, Mommy, but I have to help you," Rini cried. "I want to help you and the others!"

_"The power of the crystal is far too great for a little girl to handle,"_ the voice echoed. _"It's far too dangerous."_

"I don't care, Mommy," Rini exclaimed. "I'm going to prove that I'm as strong as you are!"

_"Please always remember my words, my sweet daughter. I love you more than you'll ever know,"_ the voice said as it faded away.

Rini shook her mother's words out of her head. "Sorry, Mom," she apologized. "I've got to try to help!" She slowly reached towards the crystal, and as she picked it up, it began to glow. "What's happening," she exclaimed fearfully. She gasped as it disappeared. "Oh no!" Rini began to sob, and as the crescent moon on her forehead appeared and began to shine, she squeezed her eyes shut. Light burst out all around her, and she disappeared. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in front of a large door.

"Welcome, Small Lady," a woman holding a staff greeted.

"Sailor Pluto," Rini exclaimed. "How did I get here?"

"When you touched the crystal, it disappeared and you were brought here," Pluto answered. "For some reason, the crystal reacted to your inner powers."

"Where is the crystal now," asked Rini quietly. "What happened to it? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

"I'm afraid so, Small Lady," Pluto replied. "When the crystal disappeared, your mother needed it the most." Rini's eyes grew huge, and tears began to form in them. Pluto took the little girl into her arms and comforted her as she cried. "Now is the time for you to be strong, much like your mother. There is a way to help her."

Rini wiped away her tears and squared her shoulders bravely. "What do I have to do," she asked.

Pluto released the little girl and walked over to the door. She waved her staff in front of it, and the door began to open. "You must go through this portal I have opened. In the past, you must find your mother's younger self and convince her to give you her crystal. Unfortunately, I will not be able to help you. The journey will be a difficult one, but you must succeed if you wish to save your mother."

"Alright, Sailor Pluto," Rini replied. "I'll get the crystal, and I'll help my Mommy."

Pluto smiled and put a necklace around Rini's neck. "This key will bring you home when you find the crystal," she told her. "Be careful, Small Lady."

"I will," she replied. "I'll be back before anyone notices I'm gone." She smiled and waved to the older woman, and then disappeared into the portal.

"I certainly hope so, Small Lady," Pluto replied. She closed her eyes painfully as she sensed the screams of millions cease.

*****

"Serena! Serena, wait for me," Molly yelled out as she ran to catch up with her friend. Serena stopped on the school's front steps, and waved as she turned towards her friend.

"Hi Molly," she greeted. "What's going on?"

"Not much," Molly replied. "I'm just waiting for Melvin to get out of class. We're going to go over to the arcade. Do you want to join us?"

"No thanks, Mol," she replied. "I'm just going to go home."

"Are you okay, Serena," Molly asked. "You almost never turn a trip to the arcade down."

"I'm fine," she said. "I just don't feel like going." At that moment, Melvin came bounding down the stairs.

"Hey Serena! Hello, my sweet," Melvin greeted the girls cheerfully. "Are you ready to go," he asked Molly as he grabbed her hand.

"Yes, let's go," she answered with a smile. "We'll see you later, Serena." 

Serena watched as her two friends walked off. "I might as well head home," she sighed. As she walked along, she was deep in thought, and did not hear a motorcycle slow down beside her.

"Hey there, Princess. Do you need a lift," a man asked her. Serena turned towards the voice and smiled. There, sitting on his motorcycle, was Darien.

"Hi Darien," she greeted. She walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "How was your day," she asked as she stood beside him.

"It was good," he replied. "So, do you want me to give you a ride home?"

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No, I think I'd rather walk," she said.

Darien cut the engine and got off of his bike. "What's wrong? You're not scared are you, my beautiful Meatball Head," he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Serena wiggled out of his grasp and glared at him. "Darien, I really wish that you . . ." She never finished her sentence because Darien kissed her.

"I'm sorry, Serena," he apologized. "Now come on, and I'll take you home." He picked her up and placed her on the back of the bike. After he put a helmet on her head, he, too, got on. "Hold on tight," he said as the engine roared to life. Serena wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back. Then, with a sudden jerk, they were off.

*****

"Oh where is Serena," Luna asked as she paced back and forth across the windowsill in Serena's bedroom. "She's late getting home again."

"You know Serena," Artemis said. "She probably has detention again."

"Yes, perhaps you're right," Luna replied. "But she has become so much more responsible lately. I suppose it was just too good to be true."

"Too good to last long, you mean," Artemis snickered.

"Now come on you two," Mina said. "I'm sure she has a good reason for being late. It's not detention because she was in school when I got there this morning." Mina moved from her position on Serena's bed, and sat down on the windowsill.

"I hope she hasn't run into any trouble," Luna said as she climbed into Mina's lap. All three looked out the window as a motorcycle pulled up to the house.

"Well, it looks like the mystery is solved," Artemis commented as Serena hopped off the back of the bike. The three watched Serena as she kissed the driver of the motorcycle, made her way up the sidewalk, and disappeared onto the porch. Seconds later, she came into her room.

"Hi Luna, sorry I'm late getting home. Darien decided to take the scenic route and . . . Oh! Mina, Artemis," she exclaimed. "What are you two doing here?"

"Wow, thanks for the greeting," Artemis remarked dryly.

Serena smiled and patted him on the head. "Sorry, Artemis," she apologized. "But why are you two here?"

"When did Darien get a motorcycle," Mina asked, ignoring Serena's question.

"He bought it last week," Serena replied. "If my father saw me on that death machine, he'd have a heart attack!"

"Well, the reason we're here," Artemis stated, "is because there's a Scout meeting at the Temple."

"Oh, I totally forgot about it," Serena said. "Rei's going to be so mad." She took out her communicator. "Rei? It's me, Serena," she spoke into it.

"Where are you? You're not in trouble, are you," Rei asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing like that," Serena reassured her. "I just wanted to let you know I'm on my way there right now. I got distracted by Darien this afternoon."

"Well hurry up, Meatball Head, and bring blondie along with you. I know she's over there," Rei said, referring to Mina.

"Hey," Mina could be heard shouting in the background.

"We'll be there soon," Serena said as she closed the link. Fifteen minutes later, everyone had gathered in the fire reading room.

"Wow, so Darien has a motorcycle, huh," Lita asked after Serena had explained why she was late. "Me and Freddie used to go riding all the time. It was so romantic."

"It was pretty exciting," Serena said. "But I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been in such a rotten mood."

Luna cleared her throat, and all eyes were on her. "You girls can gossip later," she told them. "Business first, ladies."

Rei kneeled down in front of the fire and began to chant. "Oh Great Spirit of Fire . . ."

"That won't be necessary, Sailor Mars," a voice said from the shadows. The five girls and two cats jumped to their feet.

"Alright, come out here, creep," Rei said angrily. Slowly, a figure emerged from the shadow, and everyone in the room gasped.

"Sailor Pluto," Luna exclaimed.

*****

"Aah," Rini screamed as she fell from the sky. She was too scared to open her eyes as she plummeted towards the ground. "I'm going to die before I save my mommy," she said as she began to cry. Seconds later, she felt herself emerged in water. She opened her eyes and frantically looked around for the surface, and then quickly swam towards where she saw the sky. As she broke through the surface of the water, she took a deep breath. "Its' a good thing Sailor Mercury taught me those swimming techniques," she said.

"Hey," someone shouted from the shore. Rini looked in the direction the yell had come from, and began to swim towards the person. When she reached the shore, she saw a little boy about her age. "What are you doing swimming out there all alone," he asked. "Don't you know that you're supposed to have an adult watching you? Why are you swimming in your clothes?"

"It's none of your business," Rini told him. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

"You look like you're cold," the boy said. "Where are your parents? I can take you home, if you you'd like, because you look like you're lost."

Rini looked at the boy and decided that he wouldn't believe her if she told him where she was really from. "I'm staying with one of my mom's old friends," she said finally. "I . . . I . . . achoo!"

"Here," the boy said as he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. "One of my friends lives nearby. She can dry your clothes so that you won't get sick."

"Thank you," Rini said as she allowed the boy to lead her in the direction of his friend's house. "So where do you live?"

"I live on the other side of town," he replied. "Do you see that road over there," he asked as he pointed behind them.

"Yes," she replied.

"That's the road you have to take to get back to the main part of the city. But I'm visiting my friends. That's whose house we're going to right now. Where do you live?"

"I live very far away," she said quietly. "My mom got hurt, and that's why I'm looking for this other person."

"I'm sorry about your mom. My parents almost got hurt once, too. But I thought you said you were staying with your mom's friend," the boy asked.

"Uh, I am," she quickly lied. "I just got separated from her. I'm sure I'll be able to find her again. My name is Rini. What's your name?"

"My name is . . . whoa," he said as he tripped over a rock. Rini giggled and helped him stand.

"Your name is whoa," she asked. The two children laughed as they continued on their way.

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To Be Continued . . .

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Well, liked it? Hated it? Let me know! I was a little hesitant to make a sequel to "An Ancient Evil" because I didn't know if I could make it better than the original. So, don't forget to leave your comments, and let me know what you think! Thanks.


	2. This Time Around, Chapter 02

TTA02 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this story. It's for entertainment purposes only, and I'm making absolutely no profit whatsoever. Enjoy!

AN - I'd like to thank everyone who has left a comment so far, and those who do so in the future. Also, a special thanks to you, Sam, for keeping me motivated. Well, on to the fanfic ...

****

This Time Around

Chapter 2

"Sailor Pluto," Artemis exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Do you know this woman," Serena asked the two cats.

"Of course they do, Princess Serenity," Pluto answered. Serena blushed slightly because the stranger regarded her with such respect.

"Please, just call me Serena," she replied shyly.

"Just who are you," Lita asked suspiciously as she stepped in front of Serena protectively.

Pluto smiled. "Sailor Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus," she said, looking at each Scout respectively, "you protect our Princess well."

"_Our_," Amy asked.

"Yes, she is my Princess as well," she replied. "I am Sailor Pluto of the Outer Scouts, and guardian to the planet Pluto. I am also the guardian of space and time."

"What do you mean Outer Scouts," Mina asked, confused.

"There are some things we haven't told you," Artemis said. "But if you search your memories of your past lives, you will know that what she speaks is the truth."

"Why have you come here, Sailor Pluto," Luna asked with a frown set upon her face.

Pluto looked at the black cat and smiled. "You're still the straightforward one, aren't you Luna," she asked. "I am here because someone of great importance has been lost in the stream of time."

"And you're here to look for this person," Luna asked.

"She was supposed to be sent here for a short period of time to… retrieve something," Pluto explained. "However, I made a mistake, and now she's lost. I can pinpoint where she is, but I, myself, can not go."

"So you need someone to go in your place," Serena asked.

"That's correct, Princess," Pluto answered.

"Well, do you think that we'd be able to help out," Serena asked, motioning towards the others. "What would we have to do?"

"You would need to go through the streams of time," Pluto replied. "I won't lie to you. This could be very dangerous."

"Well, we'd be glad to help out," Serena said firmly. "We could go and be back before anyone notices we're missing!"

"Serena, that's just not logical," Amy said. "What about school? It's one thing to fight as Scouts here, but it's a totally different thing if we just vanish into thin air."

"She has a point," Lita commented.

"There is one other thing," Pluto said as the girls quieted down. "There's a chance that a new enemy has followed the one I'm looking for. They are extremely powerful, and very dangerous. Are you still willing to go?"

The five girls looked at each other, and then they looked at the cats. "The decision is yours to make alone, Serena," Luna said. "No, Princess Serenity."

"We'll help in any way we can," Serena said finally.

"Then I shall prepare for your departure," Pluto said. "Go home, and each of you pack some of your things. Leave a note for your parents saying you're leaving on a trip. I have already made it so that no one is at your homes right now."

"Our parents will worry about us," Lita said in a worried tone. The others looked at her in surprise, and she smiled at them. "I consider your parents my family because the five of us are like family. I know I'm not related by blood, but your parents would still worry about me."

"We know, Lita," Mina said. "You are family to us, and that's all that matters."

"Don't worry about your parents," Pluto said. "I already have something planned so they won't become suspicious of your sudden disappearance."

"Now hurry along, girls," Luna said. "You should get going as soon as possible."

"Right," they said in unison. Serena, Lita, Mina, and Amy left while Rei went to her room. As soon as they were gone, Artemis turned to Pluto. "Who is it that they'll be looking for," he asked.

"A girl named Rini," she replied hesitantly.

"I've never heard of her before," Luna stated. "Is she a new Scout?"

"It's only natural that you've never heard of her yet," Pluto replied. "She comes from the future. She is Neo Queen Serenity's daughter."

"Neo Queen Serenity's daughter," Luna gasped. "Wouldn't that mean . . ." She allowed her voice to trail off as Sailor Pluto smiled slightly. "How will this affect Serena?"

"She must not discover that Rini is her daughter," Pluto replied as she gazed out the window. "No one should know too much about their own future."

Half an hour later, the five girls were gathered in front of the Temple. Each girl had packed some clothes and some form of identification - in case they needed it - and had it tucked away in a duffel bag. To the eyes of a stranger, the girls appeared to be traveling companions.

"We're ready, Sailor Pluto," Serena said. "What does the person we're looking for look like?"

"She's a five year old girl named Rini. She has pink hair and red eyes. You can't miss her," Pluto replied.

"We're looking for a little girl," Lita exclaimed.

"You should know more than anyone that looks are deceiving, Sailor Jupiter," Pluto said kindly. "She may be a tiny girl, but she is important to her time."

"Artemis and I made a decision while you girls were gone," Luna told them.

"We decided to stay behind," Artemis added. "If anything was to happen here, and we were all gone, here would be nothing for us to come home to."

"Together, Artemis and I, alongside Tuxedo Mask, will protect this place until you return," Luna said.

"But Luna, Artemis," Serena began. "We need you. Both of you!"

"You are wrong, Princess Serenity," Pluto said. "You're all stronger than you give yourselves credit for. Listen to your guardians, and believe in yourselves."

"Besides, we'd only be in the way if we went," Artemis joked.

"All joking aside, we believe in your abilities, and you should too," Luna said. She shook her head sadly, but regained her composure. "Now, stand together, girls. Sailor Pluto will do the rest." As the girls did what they were told, Pluto teleported them to the realm of time and space.

"I sure hope they'll be alright, Artemis," Luna said quietly. "If anything happens to them . . ."

"Don't worry, Luna," Artemis reassured her. "Our girls are strong. They'll be just fine."

*****

"So your parents almost died in a skiing accident, huh," Rini asked her new friend. She pulled her knees up to her chest underneath the over-sized sweater she wore.

"That's right," Akira replied as he smiled. "It was really scary, too." He paused in thought. "How long will you be staying with that friend of your mom?"

Rini looked up in surprise. "Why do you want to know," she asked.

"Well, if she lives nearby here, maybe we could play," he replied.

Rini cocked her head to the side and smiled. "You're the first real friend I have," she said. _'Besides the Scouts,'_ she added silently.

"I'm glad to be your friend, Rini," he replied. "I hope we're friends for a long time." Just then, Akira's friend came into the room carrying a tray of cookies and hot chocolate.

"There you are, you two," she greeted. "I've brought you a snack. Rini, your clothes will be dry really soon."

"Thank you, Ms. Yoko," Rini said politely. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's no trouble at all," Yoko replied. "I'm just glad everything turned out alright. I'll tell you what. Why don't you stay until dinner? Then I can take you into town if you'd like."

"Are you sure you'll have time," Rini asked. "I'm old enough to take the bus."

"Nonsense," Yoko replied. "Dinner will be ready in a little while."

"Thank you, Ms. Yoko," Rini said, adding a curtsy.

"You're welcome," she said. "I'm going to go check on your clothes. Akira, why don't the two of you set the table?"

"Ok, Yoko," he replied. "Come on, Rini."

"You set your own table," Rini asked as Akira handed her three plates.

"Well, yeah," he answered. "Don't you?"

"Um . . . yeah sure," Rini replied. They both turned towards Yoko as she entered the room.

"Here's your clothes, Rini," she said as she handed them to the girl. "You can change in my room. Akira, I want you to help me bring the food to the table while she changes."

An hour and a half later, the trio got out of Yoko's car. She had driven Rini to town as she had promised. "Well, we're here, Rini," Yoko said. "Is there anywhere specific you need to meet someone?"

"Thank you, Ms. Yoko. I'll be fine," Rini replied.

"I guess this is goodbye, then," Akira said sadly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Akira," Rini replied as she gave her friend a hug. "Oh, I need to show you something," she said as she released him. "Luna-P, appear," she exclaimed. She moved her hands in an up and down motion, as if she was bouncing a ball, and a black sphere, shaped like a cat's head, appeared.

"Wow, Rini," Akira exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

"This is my other best friend," she replied, hugging the ball. "I want to show you a trick."

"And what's that, Rini," Yoko asked.

"Luna Ball Kitty Magic, make these two forget about my existence," Rini shouted. The ball rose into the air, and a blanket of magic covered the two people. "When I snap my fingers, you, Akira and Yoko, will forget about a girl named Rini," she said. As she snapped her fingers, Yoko shook her head as if she were coming out of some sort of trance.

"Akira," she said, gently shaking the little boy's shoulder, "come on. I need to get you home before your parents start to worry."

"Ok, Yoko," he replied. He looked at Rini strangely, and then followed Yoko to the car. Rini watched as the two got back into the car and drove off. She picked up her Luna-P as it rolled over her feet.

"It was for the best, Luna-P," Rini whispered as she hugged the ball tightly. She then began to walk down the street, searching for her mother.

*****

As Serena, Mina, Lita, Amy, and Rei stood in front of the Time Gate, Sailor Pluto turned to them. "Through this door is the path to the one you seek," she began as the door opened. "Stand strong, Sailor Scouts, and return safely."

"We'll bring Rini back to you," Rei stated, "and we won't let anything happen to the Princess."

"Well, we can't turn back now," Serena said jokingly as the five girls stared into the multi-colored portal. She stepped in bravely, and the four girls followed behind her.

"Wow, this is unreal," Amy commented as the five floated through the warp. "I've never imagined anything like this before in my life!"

"Yeah, this is really weird," Mina added.

"Well, it didn't take half as long as I expected it to," Rei said. "Look, I think that's the end of the tunnel." All five looked towards where Rei was pointing, and sure enough, they were close to the end. As they tumbled through, they could feel themselves falling. They all screamed, and with a final thump, they felt that they were no longer moving.

"The worst part seems to be over," Serena commented.

"That's great, Serena, but do you think you could get off of us," Lita asked.

Serena looked down and realized that she was sitting on them. They had fallen out of the portal, and landed in a pile. Serena was at the top of the heap. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized as she stood up. After they had helped each other stand, the girls took in their surroundings. They were standing in some sort of clearing in a forest.

"Where do you think we are," Mina asked.

"I don't know," Amy replied. She pulled out her mini-computer and she sighed in frustration as she regarded the screen. "Well, this wasn't much help." She replaced the computer in her bag and frowned.

"So what do we do now," Serena asked. "I'm hungry and miserable! We need to get to the nearest town fast."

"Hush, Serena," Rei hissed. "Do you hear that?" The girls listened carefully, and they heard the sound of footsteps.

"Good, someone's out here," Serena exclaimed. "That must mean we're close to a town. Maybe the person can help us, and . . ."

"No, Serena," Lita interrupted. "Don't you remember what Sailor Pluto said? It could be the new enemy she was talking about."

"Oh, right! We better hide, then," Serena replied. Rei, Lita, and Mina hid behind some bushes, while Serena and Amy jumped up into a tree. As Serena positioned herself on the branch, a lone figure stepped into the clearing. As Serena leaned forward to try to get a closer look, she lost her footing, and fell out of the tree, landing on the ground hard. "Geez, that really hurt," she mumbled as she picked herself up. "Of all days, why did I have to have an unlucky one today?"

"Serena," the figure asked.

Serena froze as she recognized the voice right away. However, as she looked up towards the person, her immediate reaction was still a gasp. "Please tell me I'm not dreaming," she whispered to herself.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	3. This Time Around, Chapter 03

TTA03 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this story. It's for entertainment purposes only, and I'm making absolutely no profit whatsoever. Enjoy!

****

This Time Around

Chapter 3

"Serena," the figure repeated. She slowly nodded her head as she walked towards the person. As she stood in front of him, a smile broke out on her face, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Kento," Serena exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms. She hugged him tightly, not noticing as the girls came out of their hiding places and joined them. "Kento, what in the world are you doing here," she asked as she finally released him.

"I should be asking you the same thing," he replied as he wiped away the tears on her face. He then hugged each of the other girls. "It's really great to see you all again," he said.

"Same here," they said in unison.

"This is amazing," Mina exclaimed.

"How did you girls get here? I thought I'd never see you again," Kento said as he made eye contact with Serena. "I didn't think I'd see any of you ever again."

"Well, it's a long story," Rei began. "Are the others . . ."

"Yeah, they're here, too," Kento replied as Rei allowed her voice to trail off. "I'm sure they'll be as glad to see you as I am. God, how we've missed you!"

"The feeling is mutual, Kento," Amy said. "It hasn't been the same without the five of you."

"Then why are we still standing here," Lita asked as a smile lit up her face. "Take us to everyone else, Kento!"

"I can't wait to see them again," Mina added. "Where are they anyway, Kento?"

"Not too far from here, actually," he replied. "I guess you want to see them?"

Rei punched him in the arm lightly. "And you had to ask," she stated sarcastically. Kento smiled and then pointed in the direction he had come from.

"Just follow me, then," he told them. "How do I know this isn't a dream?"

"Well, it would be more like a nightmare," Mina said. "And one all six of us are sharing. It would be horrible to dream about meeting you guys again, and then realizing it was just a dream."

"Do you feel this," Serena asked as she pinched Kento on the arm.

"Ouch," he screeched. "Yeah, I felt it alright."

"Good, then we're not dreaming," she replied, satisfied. She linked arms with him as they continued walking. Rei, Amy, Mina, and Lita shared a smile as they followed behind the two.

Meanwhile, the other Ronins, White Blaze, Mia, and Yuli were in front of Mia's house. Mia was reading a book while the Ronins were playing tag with Yuli.

"Ha! You're it, Ryo," Yuli shouted as he tagged the teenager. "Get over by Mia and count to twenty before you come and get us!"

"You were just lucky, Yuli," Ryo said. "Ok, to twenty, right? One to twenty, here I come!"

"Hey, that's not fair, Ryo," Yuli objected. "You didn't count to twenty!"

"You better just run," Rowen said as he picked the young boy up. For fifteen more minutes, the five continued playing their game. They then decided to take a break, so Yuli and the Ronins were lying on their back, staring up at the clouds.

"That one looks like White Blaze," Yuli said as he pointed to the cloud he was talking about.

"That one looks like a boat, sort of," Rowen pointed out.

"Yeah, and that one looks like Kento stuffing his face," Sage stated, causing everyone to laugh. Mia had been half-listening to their conversation, and she looked up towards the boys.

"Speaking of Kento, where is he," she asked as she set her book down.

"I don't know," Sai replied. "He left about half an hour ago." The Ronins, Mia, and Yuli all looked at White Blaze as he began to whimper and pace in his spot.

"I've never heard him crying like that before," Ryo commented as he stood to stand by his pet. "What's wrong, White Blaze?" He put his hand in front of White Blaze's snout, and the tiger licked his hand.

"I hope he's not sick," Yuli whispered. "Ryo, what's wrong with White Blaze?"

"I don't know," Ryo replied. He looked up as Kento rounded the corner of the house. "Oh, hey Kento. Wow, White Blaze must have really missed you! You should have seen how weird he was just acting."

"Hey. Oh man, do I have a surprise for you all," Kento said. "But you've got to close your eyes and turn around first. You too, Mia and Yuli." After his six friends had done as he asked, Kento motioned for the girls to stand next to him. White Blaze bounded towards the girls, and knocked all five of them down.

"What's going on over there," Sage asked as he heard suppressed laughter. "What are you doing, Kento?"

After Kento had somewhat restrained White Blaze, he cleared his throat. "Ok, guys. You can turn around now." As the six very curious people turned around, the four Ronins gasped.

"Aren't those the girls from that picture you have, Ryo," Yuli asked. Ryo slowly shook his head.

"Yeah, Yuli, they are," Ryo replied. He and the other three Ronins half ran, half walked over to the girls and stood in front of them.

"Well, are you just going to stand there and gawk at us, or are you going to say something," Rei asked. Her words seemed to set everyone into motion as hugs, kisses, and even a few tears were exchanged between the Ronins and Scouts. Mia and Yuli soon joined the group.

"You must be Yuli," Serena said as she knelt down eye-level to the little boy.

"Yes," he replied. "You're all just as pretty as in the picture."

"Thank you, Yuli," Serena said, ruffling his hair. "And you're just as sweet as the guys described you."

"And you must be Mia," Amy added.

"Yes, I am," she replied. "I'm Mia Koji. It's nice to finally meet you all."

"What do you mean finally," Lita asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, the guys talked about the five of you constantly over the last few months," Mia replied. "It seems like I already know you well already. I think they missed you all very much." The Ronins blushed at her statement.

"Wow! I never thought I'd see the day something would make you guys blush," Mina exclaimed.

"What Mia says is true," Rowen began. "We really missed you a lot."

"How in the world did you get here," Sai asked. "It's impossible, isn't it?"

"We're here searching for someone," Serena began. "A little girl named Rini was lost in the streams of time, and we were sent to find her."

"Only we had no clue we were being sent here," Rei stated. "It was a stroke of luck!"

"Streams of time," Sage asked. "What do you mean the streams of time?"

"Well, how about we talk over dinner," Mia suggested as the girls seemed to be at a loss for words. "I'm sure you all have some catching up to do."

*****

"I really wish that I hadn't erased Akira's and Ms. Yoko's memories of me," Rini said as she hugged Luna-P tightly. She ran down the street some more, and as she was running, she tripped and fell. Her ball flew out of her hands and began to roll away. "Wait, Luna-P! Come back," she yelled. She picked herself up, and ran after her toy. Seconds later, a piece of a statue fell down in the spot she had fallen down in. Rini picked Luna-P up with shaky hands, and gasped as its eyes began to glow.

"Hello, Small Lady," a voice spoke out. Luna-P's eyes seemed to work like a screen as a picture of a woman appeared.

"Sailor Pluto," Rini exclaimed.

"Yes, it is I," Pluto replied. "Although I could not stay with you, I can help protect you in some ways."

"You knew that statue was going to fall, didn't you," Rini asked.

"Yes, I did," Pluto replied. "And now you must keep moving, Small Lady. Do not rest until you find your mother's younger self."

"I don't like it here," Rini said as she began to cry. "I'm scared, and I want to go home. Can't you please bring me home?"

"You must stay in order to help your mother," Pluto said. "It's important for you to find that crystal."

"But this city is so huge," Rini whined. "I'm never going to find it here. Please, just let me come home!"

"I'm sorry, Small Lady," Pluto responded. "Under different circumstances, I'd be glad to bring you home, but you must retrieve that crystal."

"No, please don't go," Rini cried as the image of Pluto began to fade and disappear. "I won't ask to come home again, I promise!" She shook the ball to try to make Pluto reappear, however she was already gone. "I'm scared," she whispered as tears fell down her face.

"Well, you certainly are a hard one to track down," a voice said. Rini stood quickly to look for the owner of the voice.

"Who said that," the little girl demanded. She gasped as a woman emerged from a shadow. She was wearing a long dress with a slit on both sides. She had on a matching silver necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and dangling at her side was a dangerous looking sword. Her black hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, but it still cascaded down her back. Long bangs also framed her face. Her most noticeable trait, however, was the black crescent moon on her forehead.

"I did, Rini. I've come to help you, child," the woman said.

"Who are you," Rini asked as she began backing away from the stranger. "How did you know my name?"

"My name is Kite," the woman responded. "And I know a lot about you, Rini. I've come for you and the crystal you possess."

Rini's mind screamed for her to move; however, she was too paralyzed with fear. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, tears once again forming in her eyes.

"We shall see," Kite replied with an evil grin.

*****

"So you guys finally defeated the Dynasty," Mina asked.

"We sure did," Rowen replied. "It's been a couple of months since our final battle with Talpa."

"Wow, I can't believe the Warlords ended up on your side. They were all so evil," Rei added. "I never once sensed any good in any of them."

"It was a big shock when Anubis joined our side, and became the Ancient One. But the biggest shock was the truth about Lady Kayura," Ryo said.

"None of us would have guessed she was the last remaining member of the Ancient bloodline," Sage commented.

"And she would have been on our side the entire time if she hadn't been under the control of Badamon and Talpa," Sai added.

Serena blocked out the rest of the conversation as the others continued to talk. She returned to gazing out the window, and didn't notice as Kento sat down beside her. _'Just who are you, Rini,'_ she thought to herself. Finally, Kento broke the silence between them.

"Serena," he said softly, causing her to jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's not your fault," she replied. "I should have been paying attention."

"Is something wrong," he asked her.

"No, I was just thinking," she said. She looked over at the group and smiled. "I haven't seen the girls this cheerful in a long time." She paused slightly as her eyes rested on Mia, who was steadily staring down at her hands. "But what's wrong with Mia?"

Kento looked towards the woman as she stood up and went into the kitchen. He frowned slightly and looked back at Serena. "Mia had a really hard time dealing with Anubis' death," he replied. "This is the first time we've really talked about his passing out in the open like this. I think she was falling for him… After he turned to our side."

"I know what she must be feeling right now," Serena said. "Losing someone you love is a difficult thing to go through."

"Are you talking about Darien," he asked. She nodded her head slowly.

"And I know talking about it is even worse than the emptiness you feel inside," she said as she looked in the kitchen and studied the woman.

Kento clenched his jaw, and cleared his throat. "How is Darien doing?"

Serena returned her gaze to Kento, and smiled. "He's doing great," she replied. "He regained his memories shortly after I healed Alan and Anne."

"Hey you two," Mia interrupted as Kento was about to ask Serena a question. "The tea is done. Of course, I'm sure you would have heard me if you hadn't been over there whispering." The two blushed as they joined everyone at the table.

"What were you two talking about anyway," Rei asked.

"Alan and Anne," Serena replied as she took a sip of her tea. Rei had a skeptical look on her face, and Serena smiled. "Don't worry, we were listening to what you guys were saying, too. You were talking about the Dynasty."

"Alan and Anne," Mia asked. "Who are they?"

"They're the last enemy we faced. They were aliens that came to Tokyo in search of energy for their Doom Tree," Lita said.

"They were corrupted by evil as children, and so that's all they knew," Amy added. "They were tough opponents, and in the end, the Doom Tree tried to kill them. Their love for each other showed them the right path, and they allowed Sailor Moon to purify their hearts and minds of all evil."

"It was a little strange," Mina said. "The Doom Tree was a living being, in a way. It wanted Sailor Moon to heal it, too."

"After that, Alan and Anne took the seedling of the Doom Tree, and started their life all over," Serena finished. "At the same time, Darien regained his memories of us." Mia had a confused look on her face, and Serena smiled. "I'll tell you about it later, Mia."

"Now we're facing a new, more powerful foe," Lita said as she twirled the contents of her mug.

For the first time that evening, the mood and atmosphere of the room turned serious. "You're here searching for someone, right," Ryo asked.

"Yes," Serena replied. "She comes from our future, but we don't know who she is. She was supposed to be sent to our time, but somehow, she got lost in the streams of time." 

"And we only have a description of her to go by," Mina added.

"What exactly are the streams of time," Sage asked for the second time.

"Well, you all already know a lot about us," Amy began, "so I don't see why we can't tell you this as well." She paused to think about her answer before she continued. "You see, the five of us are not the only Sailor Scouts. There is another Scout we were introduced to recently, Sailor Pluto. She is the Guardian of Time and Space, and she has control of time itself. That's how we were able to land in the same realm as Rini."

"That's amazing," Rowen exclaimed as he and the other Ronins were surprised at the revelation.

"Now that I think about it, Sailor Pluto never really did say just why Rini was traveling through time in the first place," Lita said thoughtfully. "I wonder what was happening in the future?"

"Good point, Lita," Rei replied. "And what was Rini sent to find? I guess we can ask her once we find her."

"Well, we'd be glad to help you look for her," Rowen stated. "Now that the Dynasty is defeated we…"

"Hey you guys," Yuli yelled as he burst inside the house. "There's a really strange light coming from the city!" The girls looked at each other, and then ran outside, followed closely by the Ronins. As the ten warriors, Mia, and Yuli gazed up at the sky, they gasped.

"That has to mean something," Amy said. Off in the distance, in the center of the city, was a beam of silvery-white light coming down from the sky. Amy pulled out the Mercury-computer and began to scan the city. "That energy is definitely coming from a pure source," she confirmed. "That's got to be Rini!"

"Hey, what's wrong with Serena," Yuli asked. They all looked at her, and saw that the brooch on her bow had started to glow, and her golden crescent moon had appeared on her forehead.

"Princess," the girls asked hesitantly.

"No," Serena said softly. "Not quite, but I'm not myself, either." The brooch stopped glowing, however the crescent moon remained on her forehead. "I have a bad feeling Rini's in trouble."

__

To Be Continued . . .


	4. This Time Around, Chapter 04

TTA04 ****

I don't own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 4

As the golden crescent moon on Serena's forehead slowly began to vanish, a feeling of dread washed over her. "We've got to find Rini right away," she said. "Sailor Scouts, transform!"

"Serena," Rei began, "you don't know if that's Rini or not. There's no way to know."

"And we won't know until we get over there," Serena retorted. "Now transform!"

"Serena, under normal circumstances we would listen to you," Amy began. "However, Sailor Pluto told us there was a possibility that the ones searching for Rini don't know where she is. If we use our powers unnecessarily, they'll be able to pinpoint her location easily."

"You said yourself that had to be Rini," Serena pointed out. "I don't want to take any risks. She could end up getting hurt."

"Why are you so worried about her," Mina asked as she placed a hand on Serena's arm. "I'm sure she's fine."

"I don't know why I'm worried like this, Mina," she replied. "It's just a gut feeling I have, and I've got to act on it! Besides, she's just a child!"

"Well, no one will get anything done if you continue to stand here and argue," Mia stated. "I will take Serena into the city to investigate the cause of the beam."

"I'll go too," Lita said as she stepped forward.

"So will I," Kento echoed. "And even if it isn't Rini, we can look around for her while we're in town."

Serena smiled at the three volunteers. "Thank you," she said as Mia went inside the house to get her keys and purse. When she came back out, she smiled at the three warriors.

"Well, let's go," Mia said as she motioned towards the jeep. As the three girls and Kento got into the jeep, Rei walked over to the vehicle.

"You guys be really careful," she said. "There's still the chance that the new enemy did make it here. If there's any trouble, make sure to contact us right away. The link will be open."

"Sure thing, Rei! I'll keep these three out of trouble," Kento replied with a wink. He, Serena, and Lita waved at the group as Mia drove off. As the jeep rounded the corner, Rei stood with her arms crossed, and had a worried look on her face. She leaned into Ryo as he put an arm around her shoulder.

"Everything will be fine, Rei," Ryo said softly. "They'll call us if they need us."

"Well, I'm sure a column of light shooting down from the sky isn't a normal sighting," Rei replied. She glanced up at Ryo and smiled. "But thank you for trying to conform me."

"Anytime, Rei," he replied.

She looked back towards the driveway, and saw the red jeep in the distance. "Do you have somewhere I can meditate," Rei asked.

"Yeah, sure. Follow me," Ryo said, grabbing Rei's hand and leading her into the house. As they disappeared inside, Mina turned to the remaining warriors and Yuli.

"Well, what should we do now," she asked, looking at Amy, Sage, Sai, Rowen, and Yuli.

"I, for one, would like to know how we ended up here, of all places," Amy began. She looked at Sai and smiled. "I'm glad we're here, but I can't help but to wonder whether it was chance or fate."

"That's a good point, Amy," Mina replied.

"What do you mean by chance or fate," Rowen asked.

"Well, it was fate for us to become Sailor Scouts, and for Serena to become the Princess of the Moon once again," Amy began. "However, it was purely chance that we met you."

"Yeah, it seems that everything that has happened to us affects us in one way or the other," Mina added.

Yuli, who didn't exactly understand what the teenagers were talking about, cleared his throat. "Um, Miss Mina, Miss Amy," he asked shyly. He blushed as the two girls looked down at him. "Do you think you could tell me more about your powers?"

"Sure, Yuli," Mina replied as she sat down on the ground. She patted a spot next to her, and the small boy eagerly sat down. Sai, Amy, Rowen, and Sage sat down as well. "Now, Serena tells the story a lot better than I can, but I'll tell it the best that I can."

"I'll help out, too," Amy added. Yuli smiled at both girls and listened attentively.

"It all started about a millennia ago," Mina began as she cleared her throat.

*****

"Mia, your house isn't as far from the city as it looked," Lita said, adjusting in her seat. She was in the passenger side while Kento and Serena were sitting in the back.

"Yes, it does look far away, but it's actually really close," Mia replied, while keeping her eyes on the road. "I remember once when Ryo ran from the house, into town. That was when he first got the Swords of Fervor."

"Yeah, I remember that," Kento commented. "He was so depressed because he thought we didn't want him as our leader. The truth was that we were worried that his Wildfire swords would break if he used his sure-skill. If that had happened in the middle of combat, and we weren't there with him, he could have been in real trouble."

"So what happened," Lita asked as she turned slightly towards Kento.

"Well, when Ryo first used the Armor of Inferno, the power from the armor was so great that it caused his swords to crack," Kento stated. "Then we found out that there were swords that were specifically wielded for the Armor of Inferno. The only problem was that this guy from the Dynasty named Saber Stryke had them. It all turned out fine in the end, because Ryo was able to defeat him."

As the three continued to talk, Serena looked out the window, deep in her own thoughts. _'Why do I feel so strongly towards a girl I don't even know,'_ she asked herself. _'And what's going on with my reaction to that light I saw? It's all so confusing.'_

"Serena, you sure are being quiet back there," Mia stated as the jeep came to a stop sign. She looked back at Serena in the rear-view mirror and smiled. "What's on your mind?"

"Not much," Serena replied. "I'm just wondering how we're going to find the spot that beam of light was."

"Well, I know the city pretty well, and judging from the position of the beam, the location should be somewhere near here," Mia stated.

"Sounds good to me," Lita said.

Serena nodded her head, however remained quiet. _'I just hope we're not too late,'_ she said silently.

*****

Kite backed away from Rini slightly as the light emitting from the girl slowly began to fade away. "What was that," she demanded. "You're too little to use the powers of the crystal, so it couldn't have been that! What did you do?"

"I don't know what it was," Rini replied. "It just happened." She picked Luna-P up, hugging it to her chest. "What do you want with me? Just leave me alone."

"I already told you, girl," Kite replied. "I've come for that crystal! I might as well grab you while I'm at it. I'm sure my Master can find something interesting to do with you and that power you just used."

"I won't go with you," Rini screamed. Her body finally began to cooperate as she took off running. Kite smiled and then disappeared. As Rini was running, she looked behind her and stopped as she realized Kite was no longer around. She sighed in relief and sank down to her knees. "Sailor Pluto," she whimpered as she shook Luna-P. "Please help me!" She gasped as a shadow settled over her.

"I told you, Rini," Kite said. "I won't give up until I have what I want from you!" She grabbed at the little girl, however Luna-P flew up into her face, giving Rini the chance she needed to run.

"Come on, Luna-P," Rini yelled. The ball floated towards her, and she picked it up. "Luna Ball Kitty Magic!" A gun suddenly appeared in her hand, and she pointed it towards the woman. Kite looked at her and started laughing.

"What are you going to do with that toy," she asked.

"I'm warning you, stay away from me," Rini said. As Kite began to advance towards her, Rini shot the gun and a net flew out of the barrel. The net wrapped around Kite, and she fell to the ground.

"You little brat," she said venomously as the gun turned back into Luna-P. "Seems I have underestimated you." Kite closed her eyes in concentration and seconds later the net disappeared. She smiled evilly as she stood up. "My turn." The upside-down crescent moon on her forehead began to glow black with dark energy until almost the entire surrounding area was pitch black. A beam shot out straight towards Rini, and as it drew nearer to her, all of the energy in the area formed into a net and pinned her to the wall . . .

"Did you see that," Serena asked.

"That black light," Mia stated. "Yeah, I saw it, too. It was nearby." Mia parked the jeep, and the four people got out.

"We could really use Amy right about now," Lita said as they looked around. "At least we would know where to go." Suddenly, a scream pierced the air, and the small group ran in the direction they had heard it come from. As they rounded the corner, Serena gasped. In the distance, they saw a tiny pink-haired girl and a woman glowing black. Serena was about to run over there, however Lita pulled her back around the corner.

"Wait, Serena," she said. "We can't just barge over there!"

"That's got to be Rini," Serena exclaimed. "We've got to . . ."

"Let's contact the others," Lita interrupted.

"No time, Lita," Serena replied. "Moon Crystal Power!" As her transformation finished, Sailor Moon tossed her communicator to Mia. "Push the button on the side to link to the other Scouts." She turned to Lita and Kento. "Are you going to help?"

Wordlessly, Lita pulled out her transformation wand. "Jupiter Star Power!" Sailor Jupiter joined Sailor Moon's side and as they turned to Kento, he was already in his sub-armor.

"Armor of Hardrock, tao gi," he yelled out. Once he was in full armor, he turned to Mia. "Make sure the other Ronins come, too. We might need them. Stay out of sight, Mia."

"Alright, Kento," she replied. "All of you be careful."

"Thank you, Mia," Sailor Moon said. "We'll be careful." Mia watched as the three warriors disappeared.

Meanwhile, Kite stepped in front of Rini. She cocked her head to the side as Rini struggled against the energy net. "Now do tell me, Rini," she began. "Where is the Silver Emperial Crystal?"

"Even if I _did_ have it, I wouldn't give it to you," Rini shouted, glaring at the woman.

Kite frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure about that," she asked. She stepped away from Rini and raised her hand in the air. As she slowly began to close her palm, electricity began to surround the net around Rini and she screamed in pain.

"Aah," Rini screamed. "No, please stop it!"

Kite began to laugh evilly. "Give me the crystal, and I will!"

"Please," Rini cried. "I don't have it." She screamed louder as Kite squeezed her hand closed again.

"Hey you," a voice shouted out. Both Kite and Rini looked up as two sailor-suited figures jumped down from a building. "How dare you lay a hand on a child!"

"Who are you," Kite asked, turning away from Rini, towards the two girls.

"I am Sailor Moon," Sailor Moon stated.

"And I'm Sailor Jupiter," Jupiter added.

"How about you take us on instead of the girl, if you dare," Sailor Moon continued. "The evils you have committed today are unforgivable! In the name of the moon, we will punish you!" She looked beyond Kite's shoulder as Kento silently inched towards Rini. As he grabbed the net, electricity shot out and surrounded him. Kite glanced backward and began laughing as both he and Rini screamed in pain.

"I wouldn't touch that net if I were you," she warned. She turned around to look at him, and recognition crossed her face. "Kento of Hardrock. I was warned about you and the other Ronins." She turned back towards the two Sailor Scouts. "But who are you two annoyances?"

"Who we are doesn't matter," Jupiter said. "You'll give us the girl if you know what's good for you!"

"If you want her, take her," Kite replied. She flipped backwards towards Kento and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying back, and landing painfully next to Rini. The net expanded so that he, too, was pinned to the wall.

"Kento," Sailor Moon exclaimed, turning angrily towards their new enemy. She gasped as she noticed for the first time, the black, upside-down crescent moon on Kite's forehead. "Who are you, and where are you from," she demanded.

"Silly child," Kite began. "You truly are not a worthy opponent. I am Kite of the Black Moon Dynasty."

"What do you want with this girl," Kento asked, struggling against the net.

"Enough of your questions," Kite exclaimed. She turned towards Sailor Moon. "I'll show you what it is to be a _real_ warrior!" She jumped into the air, and began throwing energy towards her. Sailor Moon screamed as the energy hit the ground around her, sending her flying backwards.

"Jupiter Thunderclap Zap," Jupiter shouted. As the attack flew towards Kite, black energy from her crescent moon shot out, forming a shield around her. As Jupiter's attack hit the shield, it was reciprocated right back at her. "Hey," Jupiter exclaimed as she jumped out of the way of her own attack.

Kite began to laugh. "Well, at least you're entertaining! If you're done, I'll take what I came for now," she said, moving towards Rini.

Sailor Moon stood up and put her hand up to her tiara. "Moon Tiara Magic," she shouted. The disk flew towards Kite, and she caught it. "I don't believe it," Sailor Moon gasped.

"Oh, how sad," Kite said with mock sorrow. "You're absolutely pathetic!" She tossed the tiara back to Sailor Moon, and as she caught it, energy wrapped around her.

"What's going on," Sailor Moon asked. The energy continued to wrap around her body, and then formed into a net. "Let me go," she screamed. As she fell to the ground, Kite began to laugh.

"Mercury Bubbles Freeze," Mercury shouted. Kite looked up in surprise, but it was too late as she was frozen in place.

"Sailor Moon, are you okay," Mars asked as she, Mercury, Venus, Halo, Wildfire, Strata, and Torrent jumped down from the building. Sage went to check on Kento and Rini.

"Yes, I'm fine," Sailor Moon said. She looked towards Kento and Rini right as Sage reached towards the net. "No! Don't touch it!" Her warning came too late as the trio was shocked. "Don't touch the nets, guys," she warned the others.

All eyes turned towards Kite as her frozen figure began to shake. It shattered in a blast of dark energy, as they heard her scream. "That was a dirty trick," she growled through clenched teeth. "Which one of you . . ." She allowed her voice to trail off as she realized that there were seven newcomers.

"We've got you outnumbered, Kite," Jupiter said.

_'Oh no, the other Ronins,'_ Kite said to herself as she took in her surroundings. _'And three other warriors dressed similarly to the ones with Hardrock.'_ She got into a fighting stance, and as she reached for her sword, a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Kite, leave it for another time," a man said to her, standing close behind her.

Kite smiled and leaned back against him. "Lotus," she sighed as she turned to face him. Lotus was wearing a dark blue body suit, a black cape, which swept the ground, and black, knee-high boots. He had a diamond stud in his ear, and the hilt of his sword peeked out from the folds of his cape. He had short, sandy-blonde hair, and his bangs partially hid the black crescent moon on his forehead. Kite stared up into his piercing blue eyes. "What are you doing here," she asked.

Lotus brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I always watch over you, love," he whispered, causing her to blush slightly. He looked back up towards the ten warriors and frowned. "The reign of the Black Moon Dynasty is nigh," he said. "Your victory here does not mean our defeat! Let's go, Kite."

"I'll be back for you, Rini," Kite said to the little girl. "Until we meet again, child." With those final words, both she and Lotus disappeared. After they were gone, the nets around Kento, Sailor Moon, and Rini began to dissipate. As soon as she was free, Sailor Moon ran over towards Kento and Rini.

"Are you okay, Kento," she asked. She smiled as he nodded his head. She then turned her attention towards Rini, who was looking at her strangely. "Don't be scared, Rini," she began, kneeling down eye-level to the girl. "We're here to help you. What was going on?"

"I was here looking for someone, and that woman just showed up," Rini said quietly. She picked up Luna-P as it rolled near her.

"She's really shy," Venus stated. "Maybe she doesn't trust us."

"Well, since she's from our future, maybe she doesn't recognize us like this," Sailor Moon suggested. She stood up and de-transformed.

"Do you think that was a good idea," Mercury asked, alarm rising up in her voice. Serena looked at her and nodded her head, then turned back to the small girl.

"Hello, Rini. I'm Serena," she said as she extended her hand.

_'That power she used,'_ Rini thought. _'That had to be the crystal. She's got to be the one!_' Rini stepped closer to Serena and hugged her around the waist. "I finally found you," she exclaimed.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	5. This Time Around, Chapter 05

TTA05 ****

I don't own the rights to any of the characters in this story, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

AN - Hey readers! I just thought to warn you all that I'll be changing some things (about SM) from here on, and it will be very different from the anime series. Some of the stuff about the show always bothered me (_i.e. how Rini didn't realize Serena was Neo-Queen Serenity_) and I'm going to change it to my liking! ^_^ So, if anything is way off, or someone is out-of-character, I know. That's how I wanted it. Don't forget to leave your comments, please . . . Happy reading!

****

This Time Around

Chapter 5

"Here you go, Rini," Mia said as she gave the girl a cup of tea. Everyone had made it back to Mia's house one way or the other, and now they were all sitting around the living room. The girls were still in their Scout uniforms, except for Serena, and the boys were in their sub-armor.

"Thank you, Ms. Mia," Rini said as she accepted the cup.

"So tell us, Rini," Serena began. "Do you recognize any of us from your time?"

"Well," Rini began. She thought about her answer carefully. Before she had left her own time, Sailor Pluto told her it was important that she didn't reveal anything about the future to anyone that she met. "There are Sailor Scouts. They're personal body guards to my family."

"So you know us in the future," Jupiter asked.

"No," Rini said carefully, "but I do know a Sailor Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter." She paused and looked at the girls thoughtfully. "You can de-transform, if you want to. I'm really close to the Scouts from my time, so I know you're not always dressed as a Scout." The girls looked at each other in surprise, and then did as she suggested.

"Rini, isn't there a Sailor Moon in the future," Serena asked.

"No, there's not," she replied. As Serena was about to say something else, Rini interrupted her. "I can't really explain it all that well. Sailor Pluto would do a better job."

After a couple of minutes of silence, Serena cleared her throat. "Well, I might as well introduce everyone," she said. "This is Rei, also known as Sailor Mars. This is Amy, or Sailor Mercury. Mina is Sailor Venus, and Lita is Sailor Jupiter. You already know Mia, and the boy over there is Yuli. These five guys are the Ronin Warriors. That's Ryo over there with his tiger White Blaze. The one with the book is Rowen. Sage is over there polishing his sword. Sai is the one sitting on the arm of the sofa. And Kento . . . " She began laughing as she looked at him. "Kento is the one inhaling his food over there, next to Sai."

"You don't have much room to talk, Serena," Rei said dryly. "You do the same thing!"

"Oh, I do not, Rei," Serena hissed.

"It's nice to meet you all," Rini said as Rei and Serena began to argue.

"So Rini, what are you looking for," Ryo asked. "Maybe we could help you out." Rei and Serena stopped their argument momentarily to hear her answer.

"I'm looking for something that will help someone from where I come from," Rini said. "I need to get it as soon as I can."

"Well, we'd all be happy to help you find whatever you're looking for," Mia stated.

"What are you looking for anyway, Rini," Serena asked.

"I can't say," Rini replied. "I'll be able to tell you when I can. Please try to understand."

"Of course we do, Rini," Mina said. "In the movies, people from the future never say where they're from, or what they're looking for. It's always because it would alter time." Rini looked at her strangely, and Mina laughed nervously.

"That makes sense, actually," Amy said. "If we know the outcome to something before it happens the event may never occur."

Serena smiled at Rini. "We can be patient," she said.

*****

"Oh Lotus," Kite exclaimed. "I don't know what went wrong! I had the girl where I wanted one minute, and the next, those Scouts and Hardrock showed up. If only I had taken her first and asked questions later. Now we have the Ronins and the five Scouts to contend with."

"You've never failed in the past, Kite," Lotus replied. "But we can learn from this failure." He paused to think. "What I don't understand is why our Master did not warn us of the Scouts."

"Then why don't you ask me yourself," a man asked as he entered the room. Kite and Lotus kneeled before him immediately, and he smirked with an air of conceit. He was wearing a black, gray, and red kimono, and his dark hair was hidden underneath his headdress. He had a mustache that was medium in length, and a goatee. "Now what were you saying, Lotus?"

"I was just wondering why you didn't tell us of the Scouts, Master," Lotus replied.

"The prophecy did not foretell their existence. It foretold of a girl who held unfathomable powers within her, and warned of the armored samurai who would protect her," he stated. "The Scouts, as you refer to them, are not supposed to be in this realm."

"What should we do, then, Master," Kite asked.

"I bestowed upon the both of you great power. Do not fail me. Bring me the crystal, so that I may fulfill my own destiny," he said.

"We won't fail you again, Master," Lotus stated.

"Then go and bring me what I desire," he replied as he left the room. After he was gone, Kite turned to Lotus.

"He doesn't seem mad about my failure," she said. "That worries me."

"Good," Lotus replied. "Your fear can serve as an initiative to prevent failure again."

"Lotus, I may have a plan that will give our powers a boost," Kite began. "I think you'll like this. Come with me, so that I can explain."

*****

"Rini, now can you tell me what you're looking for," Yuli asked the girl. The two children were sitting outside of Mia's house. It had been a couple of days since Kite attacked Rini. The children had grown close over that time, and Rini had promised Yuli she would tell him what she was looking for.

"Well, I guess I could, Yuli," she replied. "But not here." She grabbed him by the wrist, and the two ran down towards the forest. When they came to a clearing, she let go of him. "I promised you I would tell you what I'm looking for, so here goes. You have to swear you won't tell anyone, Yuli."

"I promise I won't say anything," he exclaimed.

Rini smiled at him. "Thank you! Like I said, I'm here looking for someone," she began. "Well, the person I'm looking for is my mother's past self. I need to find her, so that I can get something from her to bring back to the future." Tears began to cloud her eyes. "My mom's life is in danger, and if I can't bring back what she needs . . ."

"Don't cry Rini," Yuli said as hugged her. "I'm sure we'll be able to find your mom here. Who is she?"

"I'm not allowed to tell anyone," Rini replied. "If I do, it might change the future, and I might be gone forever."

"Don't worry, Rini," he exclaimed. "I'm sure we'll be able to find your mom."

Rini smiled at him, and wiped away some of her tears. "You're a good friend, Yuli," she said. "I'm glad I met you!"

"I'm glad I met you too, Rini," he replied. As the two continued talking, neither one noticed a figure walking up behind them.

Meanwhile, the ten warriors and Mia were talking about Rini. Over the past couple of days, they had all relentlessly helped Rini search for what she was looking for futilely, and had not had the chance to talk about their present situation. As they all sat deep in their own thoughts, Ryo finally broke the silence.

"You know, something has been bothering me over the last two days," he began.

"What's that, Ryo," Rei asked.

"Am I the only one who has noticed how much Serena and Rini look alike," he asked. "It has to be more than a coincidence."

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Sai stated.

"Maybe she's related to you in the future, Serena," Lita suggested. "She could be your descendant or something."

"That's crazy," Serena exclaimed. "If she was related to me, she would have recognized me right away. She said she didn't know any of us. Besides, there's not a Sailor Moon in the future, so I'm sure… no, it's obvious I'm not around."

"Don't say stuff like that, Serena," Rei scolded. "We wouldn't allow anything to happen to you! We would die first before we let any harm come to you!"

"Whoa you guys," Kento began. "Don't get so serious over nothing. We can ask Rini about it when she and Yuli get back from the woods."

"Kento has a good point," Mina said. "We should be talking about how we're going to contact Sailor Pluto, and take Rini to her."

"What would happen after that," Sai asked hesitantly.

"We would go home, I suppose," Amy said quietly. The room fell silent once again.

"Maybe a Sailor Teleport would work," Serena suggested. "I'm sure it's within our powers."

"But will we be able to teleport an extra person," Lita asked.

"Your help may be needed here, Sailor Scouts," a woman's voice said. Everyone's eyes shifted towards the door where the woman stood. She wore a white, silk kimono with gold trimmings. Her dark hair was swept up on the top of her head, and in her left hand was a staff. On her left stood Rini, and on her right stood Yuli.

"You! You let them go right now, do you hear me," Serena said angrily. She stood up quickly from her seat, however Kento grabbed her arm.

"Serena, it's okay," he said. Mia took the initiative and turned to the woman.

"What brings you here, Lady Kayura," she asked.

"Greetings, Mia," Kayura replied. She looked at Serena and smiled warmly. "I understand your hostility towards me, Serena," she stated. "We weren't exactly on the best of terms the last time we met."

"We were enemies the last time we saw you," Serena replied. She looked at Kayura with narrowed eyes and as the two stood staring at each other, Rini cleared her throat.

"Serena," she began, "Lady Kayura didn't hurt us. We're fine!" She left Kayura's side and stood next to Serena. She sat down next to her as Kento scooted over to make room for her on the couch.

"Why don't you come in and tell us why you're here, Lady Kayura," Sage suggested.

"Thank you, Sage of Halo," she replied as she came into the house. The girls watched her warily as she sat down. Kayura cleared her throat and then looked around the room, at each of the Ronins. "After the defeat of the Dynasty, I swore to myself that I would leave you in peace, Ronin Warriors," she began.

"And has something happened to change that," Rowen asked.

"It has," Kayura replied. She raised the Ancient's staff into the air, and an image appeared. "Two days ago, two individuals stormed my sanctuary in the Nether Realm and stole the armor of the former Warlords." As the image of the two figures appeared, Rini gasped.

"That's Kite," she exclaimed.

"And the one she called Lotus," Kento added.

"Yes," Kayura said. "Sekhmet, Dais, and Kale's armors were all stolen. Anubis' armor was safe within me, and though I fought them off, they got his armor as well."

"How is that possible," Rowen asked. "Only the holder of the orb can call forth for the armor, right?"

"That is correct, Rowen," Kayura replied. "However, since the Dynasty was defeated, the former Warlords placed their orbs in a glass encasement. They never dreamed they would be stolen."

"But if Anubis' orb was within you, how did they get it," Mia asked.

"I was badly injured during the struggle," Kayura replied. "I was forced to call forth the orb. And so you see, that's why it took me so long to get to you. The Ancient blood running through my veins only barely kept me alive."

"What can we do to help," Rowen asked.

Kayura smiled before she answered his question. "I only ask that you, Ronin Warriors, wield your armors once more," she said.

"Of course," Ryo replied. "It is our duty to protect the city, and the entire world if necessary."

"We'll help, too," Serena said. "This enemy comes from our future. Therefore, it is our responsibility to defeat them."

"There's no need to risk your lives," Ryo argued. "You should just take Rini back to where she needs to go."

"No," Rini yelled. Everyone turned to look at her, shocked from her outburst. "I can't go back yet!"

"Rini," Amy began. "Ryo has a good point. The longer you're here, the more danger you'll be in. Kite and Lotus are after you for some reason, and you might be safer in your own time."

"And if you're not around to get hurt, we won't have to worry about your safety," Serena added.

"Then we can come back here, and help defeat them," Lita added, clenching her fist tightly. "That way, they can never bother you again."

"But you don't understand," Rini said. Tears formed in her eyes, and she began to cry.

"You can't send her back," Yuli exclaimed. "She's my friend, and if you send her back, I would never see her again."

"Yuli, you have to understand something," Mina began. "Rini is from the future. She's from _our_ future. None of us were supposed to meet her." She paused to think. "In fact, none of us," she continued with a sweeping gesture across the room, "were ever supposed to meet at all. We're from different dimensions."

"I don't care about that," he replied as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Yuli, don't cry," Mia said as she comforted the young boy. She looked up at everyone. "Rini and Yuli can stay with me. I will protect them."

"Mia, it's not a matter of protection," Rei began. "We were sent here to find Rini and bring her back to her own time. We have to do what we were sent to do."

"Some things must be changed, Sailor Mars," a voice said as a glowing figure appeared in the middle of the room. As the glowing stopped, Sailor Pluto was standing there.

"Who are you," Ryo demanded as he and the other Ronins stood. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Sailor Pluto," Rini exclaimed. She ran over to the woman and hugged her. "Tell them, Sailor Pluto. Tell them that I have to stay here." Pluto smiled down at the little girl.

"Sailor Scouts," Pluto began. "Though Rini is in danger here, she would be in greater danger if she were to return to her own time. Because I have interfered so much already, it's best for her to remain here."

"Then what should be done," Serena asked.

"Defeat the Black Moon Dynasty here, and only then can Rini return to her own time," Pluto replied.

"But Sailor Pluto," Rini began.

"Say nothing more, Small Lady," she replied. "I promise you that everything will turn out as it should."

"Sailor Pluto, could you tell us what you know about the new enemy," Amy asked.

"I'm sorry, but if I were to tell you anything more than you already know, it would jeopardize the future," Pluto replied. She turned to Lady Kayura. "I must speak with you, however, Lady Kayura." Kayura was shocked, however quickly recovered.

"Of course, Sailor Pluto," Kayura replied as she stood. "Perhaps we should speak elsewhere. Please come with me."

As Lady Kayura left, Serena stood up. "Sailor Pluto, wait," she exclaimed. "What can you tell her that you can't tell us?"

"Please try to understand that some things can not be discussed openly," she replied. "For instance, when you first met the Ronins, you weren't completely open with them."

"But that was different," Rei exclaimed. "We were protecting ourselves. I thought we were supposed to be a team!"

"We are a team, Sailor Mars," Pluto replied wearily. "And that's why I mustn't say anything, for the sake of the team. For the sake of everyone."

"Then tell us this," Lita began. "What can we do against the new enemies?"

Pluto walked to the door and turned to face them. "You will know what to do when that time comes," she replied. With that, she disappeared through the door.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	6. This Time Around, Chapter 06

TTA06 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 6

_'You will know what to do when that time comes...'_

As what Sailor Pluto said repeated in Serena's mind, she turned over for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. Everyone had turned in early that night after Lady Kayura told the Scouts and Ronins that the former Warlords' armors had been stolen. The Ronins, Mia, and Yuli each stayed in their respective rooms while the girls slept in the guestrooms. Amy and Mina were sharing the room across the hall from Sage's room, while Rei and Lita shared the room next to Rowen's room. Serena had a room all to herself, which had a balcony, and Rini had a small room at the end of the hall. Serena sighed as she stared up at the ceiling.

"What could she have meant," she asked out loud, to no one in particular. She sat up as a knock sounded at her door. "Come in," she called out.

"Serena," Rini asked, poking her head in through the door. "May I come in?"

"Sure, Rini," Serena replied. She couldn't help but to smile as the little girl came into the room. Rini was wearing a nightgown with bunnies all over it and her hair had been taken down. In one hand she was holding Luna-P, and tucked under the other arm was her pillow.

"Serena, can I sleep in here tonight," Rini asked. She dropped Luna-P and hugged her pillow close to her chest, looking at Serena pleadingly.

"Yes, Rini, come and get in bed," Serena replied as she scooted over to make room for her. The little girl smiled and then climbed into the bed. As Rini got comfortable, Serena propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at her. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yes," Rini replied. "It was about my mommy and daddy. I couldn't see their faces clearly, and every time I ran closer to them, they got farther away from me."

"You must really miss them," Serena stated. The tiny girl nodded and yawned loudly. "Tell me, Rini. What is it that you're really looking for?"

Rini yawned again and then curled up into a ball, close to Serena. "I'm looking for the ... jewel," she replied tiredly. "The jewel of the Royal Family." She mumbled something else incoherently, and then grew silent.

Serena peered down at the little girl and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "Why do I feel so connected to you Rini," she asked her quietly. She looked towards the door as it once again creaked open, and White Blaze came into the room. He sat down on the floor and rested his chin on the bed. "Don't get too used to her, boy," she said, patting him on the head. As White Blaze curled up on the floor, Serena began to think about her guardian. "I really wish that Luna was here. She would know what to do." She sighed, and as she rested her head on her pillow, she slowly fell asleep.

*****

The next morning Ryo walked down the hall, past Serena's room, and noticed that her door was open. He paused in front of it and considered whether or not he should shut it. A cool breeze was coming from the room and so he cautiously peeked in. First, he saw White Blaze curled up on the rug next to the bed, and then he noticed that the balcony doors were open. He quietly stepped into the cold room and looked down at his pet.

"White Blaze, get out of here," he whispered. The tiger grunted in protest, and slowly rose to his feet and left the room. Ryo sighed and then tiptoed past the bed over to the balcony doors and shut them. As he passed the bed again, he noticed a pink lock of hair out the corner of his eye. He stopped and glanced towards Serena and smiled at what he saw. Rini was curled up next to Serena, and Serena had an arm draped around Rini. Also, Serena's hair was fanned out over them, like a protective blanket. Ryo continued towards the door when Serena stirred and sat up.

"Ryo," she asked in a quiet, groggy voice. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I'm sorry, Serena," he replied, blushing slightly from embarrassment. He had gone into Serena's room innocently enough, but he still felt guilty for being in there so early in the morning. "I was just shutting the balcony doors. Did I wake you?"

"No, I woke up because it's so cold in here," she replied as she stretched and yawned. "I don't know how they got opened." She looked over at Rini, who was shivering next to her, and pulled the blanket up over her. Serena smiled fondly at the girl, and then looked back towards Ryo. "What time is it?"

"It's a little past eight," he replied.

"Wow, is it really that early," she asked. She yawned again and then shrugged her shoulders. "I might as well get up, then."

"Alright," he said, grabbing the doorknob. "I'll see you downstairs, then." Serena smiled as he left the room and closed the door behind him. As she got out of bed, she grabbed her toothbrush and other bath things, heading towards the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Serena was sitting at the table with Ryo, Sai, and Rowen. Lita and Mia were in the kitchen fixing breakfast, Sage and Mina were jogging around the lake, and Amy was in Mia's study, analyzing some information. Rei soon joined everyone at the table. The only ones still sleeping were Kento, Rini, and Yuli.

"You know, Rini came into my room last night," Serena began, taking a sip of her tea. "She told me something I don't understand."

"What did she say," Rei asked, taking a seat next to Ryo.

"Well, I asked her what she was really here looking for, and she told me the Jewel of the Royal Family," Serena replied. "What do you think that means?"

"Hmm ... The Royal Family Jewel," Rei said. "Well, that could mean anything!"

"That's what confuses me," Serena stated. "I don't remember anything about a Royal Family Jewel. Neither Luna nor Artemis has ever mentioned it."

"Could it be the jewel in you locket, Serena," Sai asked.

"The Silver Emperial Crystal," Serena exclaimed incredulously. "She couldn't possible mean that!"

"It does make sense," Rei commented. "What other jewel could she mean?"

Serena sighed and shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense," she said quietly.

"Why don't you just ask me yourself," Rini asked from the bottom of the stairs. Everyone at the table turned towards the sound of her voice.

"Rini," Serena exclaimed. "When did ..."

"I don't like it when people talk about me and treat me like I'm a baby, Serena," Rini interrupted as she frowned and crossed her arms. "Just ask me your question."

"Alright then, I will," Serena replied. "I want to know why you're here, and what you're looking for."

"I already told you what I was looking for," Rini said with a sigh. "I told you what I could."

"But you told me something else last night," Serena pressed.

A look of worry momentarily crossed Rini's face, which went unnoticed by everyone at the table. "Serena, I don't remember saying anything else," she replied.

Serena stood up quickly and slammed her palms down on the table. Everyone jumped, and Rini looked at her, shocked. "Now you listen here, Rini! I know what I heard," she began. "If you want our help, you're going to have to tell us something more helpful!" At that moment, Kento came down the stairs.

"Hey guys," he greeted. He paused by Rini, ruffled her hair, then went to the table and sat down. After grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, he looked around at everyone. "What's going on?"

"We're just talking with Rini about what she's looking for," Ryo replied. "Serena says Rini told her a little bit more about why she's here."

"Only Rini doesn't remember what she said, if she said anything," Rowen added.

"She did tell me something last night," Serena exclaimed. "Don't you believe me?"

"Serena, we do believe you," Rei said slowly. "But maybe you shouldn't try to force her to remember something she can't."

"What suddenly makes you an expert on children, Rei," Serena demanded angrily.

"I know about as much as you do, Serena, but at least I'm trying to be helpful here," Rei retorted. "I'm not the one upsetting Rini!"

Serena frowned and cleared her throat to try to calm herself down. "Rini," she began evenly, "I want you to tell everyone about the Jewel of the Royal Family that you mentioned last night. What does that mean?"

"But ... I can't! I can't explain anything about that," Rini said almost hysterically, as tears welled up in her eyes.

"We deserve to know the truth," Serena replied, raising her voice slightly. "You shouldn't lie to us when we're only trying to help." As Rini broke down sobbing, tears that Serena had been trying to will away silently slipped down her face. "I just want to help," she continued. "Rini ..."

"_Don't talk to me_," Rini screamed. "You're so mean to me! How could _you_, of all people, be so mean to me?" By this time, everyone had gathered in the dining room, except for Sage and Mina, who were still jogging. As Serena made her way around the table towards Rini, the little girl turned and ran out the front door.

"No, Rini, please wait," Serena exclaimed. "I'm sorry!" As she was about to go after her, Lita grabbed her by the arm.

"She needs some time alone, Serena," she said quietly. Serena sighed and sat down in a nearby chair, and broke down crying. As her sobs subsided, Amy put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Serena, what was that all about," she asked carefully.

"I just wanted a straight answer," Serena replied through a fresh wave of tears. "I don't like having all these secrets between us and Sailor Pluto and Rini!" She angrily wiped her tears away. "Why can't we know about what she's looking for? What is so important that Rini would have to keep it secret from us?" Silence filled the room, and moments later, her watch made beeping sounds. "Serena, here," she said into the device.

"Serena, this is Venus," Sailor Venus said over the Scout communicator. "We've got trouble by the lake. I think you'd better ... Aaah!" As the link died, Serena tried to get a hold of her once again.

"Venus! Venus, answer me," Serena exclaimed. "Can you hear me?" However, all anyone could hear was static. "Okay, Scouts! We'd better get out there."

*****

"Sailor Venus, are you alright," Sage asked as he ran over to where she was laying in the sand.

Venus sat up and shook her head. "Yeah, I'm okay," she replied as she accepted the hand Sage was offering, and got to her feet. "Where did they come from?"

"I don't know," he replied. "But judging by the way they're throwing us around, I'd better get into full armor."

As Sage called forth the Armor of Halo, Venus looked around them. They were surrounded by a handful of what looked like armored Negamonsters. "They look like the enemies we usually fight, only slightly advanced," Venus stated. "And if that's the case, they shouldn't be that tough!" 

"They could be from the new enemy," Sage commented right before he charged at one of the soldiers.

Venus nodded her head in acknowledgement. She closed her eyes as the wind picked up around her, and her hair defied gravity as it floated up into the air. She opened her eyes and fixed her gaze upon one of the soldiers. "Venus Love Chain Encircle!" As the chain went spiraling towards its' target, the soldier grabbed the end of it and pulled Venus towards him. She yelped in pain as the soldier grabbed her by the hair.

"Venus," Sage exclaimed. As he ran over to help her, another soldier attacked him with his sword and sent the Ronin flying through the air. Sage fell into the shallow end of the lake, and as he stood, he raised his sword into the air. "Thunderbolt… Cut!" He sent the attack towards the offending soldier, and as the attack drew closer, the soldier raised a hand holding a shield that looked like it was made out of energy. Sage's attack bounced off the shield and headed back towards him. As it hit Sage, Venus gasped.

"Who are you," she demanded angrily. As she struggled to get out of his grip, the soldier picked her up by the hair.

"Where's the child," the soldier demanded.

"C-child," Venus stammered. "What are you talking about?" As if on cue, Rini appeared down the path towards the lake, sobbing. As she was running, she tripped and fell. "Oh no, Rini," Venus exclaimed. The girl looked over in her direction and gasped.

"Sailor Venus," she exclaimed.

"Rini, get out of here," Venus yelled. She extended her index and middle fingers, and as they began to glow, she put them against the soldier's forehead. "Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" The impact from the attack destroyed the soldier instantly, and she dropped to the ground. Rini ran towards her and kneeled next to the fallen warrior.

"Sailor Venus, are you okay," she asked.

"Yes, Rini, I'm fine," Venus replied as she stood. "But what are you doing down here? Didn't you know that it was dangerous? Why didn't Serena make you stay at the house?"

"We ... had a fight," Rini replied. Her eyes began to tear up again, and Venus hugged her.

"It will be okay, Rini," she said, trying to soothe the girl. "Everything will be alright. But right now, I've got to get you out of here!" She grabbed a hold of Rini's hand, and then turned towards the other warrior. "Sage!"

"Get her out of here, Sailor Venus," Sage replied, shaking off the effects of his own attack. "I'll catch up later!" Venus nodded and dragged Rini towards the nearby forest. As the two ran away from the fight, one of the soldiers noticed their movements.

"After them," the soldier said. As two of the soldiers started to run after them, one was destroyed by Sage's attack.

"You won't get them that easily," Sage challenged.

"Sage of Halo," Kite said as she appeared from out of nowhere. "You're very resourceful."

"Kite," he exclaimed. "Why don't you just leave the girl alone? What do you need her for?"

"Silly little Ronin," Kite responded. "If only you could understand." She turned to the remaining soldiers. "You take care of him. I'll get the child." And as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared.

"You should be no problem," Sage said to the soldiers, smiling confidently. However, the smile on his face quickly disappeared as the five soldiers began to double.

*****

"Sailor Venus, slow down," Rini complained as she was being pulled along behind her. "I can't keep up with you!" She gasped as she lost her balance and fell. "I-I t-told y-you," she said as tears formed in her eyes.

"Oh, Rini, I'm sorry," Venus replied as she helped the young girl stand. "But we've got to keep moving until the others find us! If those soldiers catch up to us, we'll be in serious trouble."

Rini looked down towards the ground, as if she were ashamed. "You don't like me very much, do you," she asked quietly.

"What! Oh, Rini," Venus said, kneeling down eye-level to the girl. "Of course I like you! We all do. That's why we're trying to protect you. If it seems like we're being mean, I assure you that it's not because we don't like you. We're just very worried, that's all."

Rini looked up at Venus as she wiped a tear from her eye. "You don't think that I'm acting like a baby, then?"

Venus smiled down at the girl. "Of course not, Rini," she replied. "You're just confused. We all are." After a moment of silence, Venus looked around at their surroundings. "Now come on. We'd better keep moving." She motioned for Rini to walk in front of her, and as she followed the girl, something hit her from behind, knocking her to the ground. "Run Rini," she screamed. The little girl looked at her with wide eyes, and then ran away as fast as she could.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	7. This Time Around, Chapter 07

TTA07 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 7

Luna sighed as she continued making her way down the street. She jumped up on a street rail and saw the person she was looking for walking down the street. She began to run along the length of the rail, and as she drew nearer, she called out to him. "Darien, wait," she said as loudly as she could without drawing attention to herself. He saw her running to catch up with him, and stopped.

"Hello, Luna," he greeted as he picked her up off the rail. He looked around the area, and then back down at Luna. "Where's Artemis?"

"We've been looking for you, actually," she replied as she settled down on his shoulder. "He's looking for you at your apartment. Perhaps we can go there? We need to talk."

"Sure thing, Luna," he said. "I was headed home anyway." Fifteen minutes later, Darien and the two cats were sitting in his apartment. "So, what did you need to talk about," he asked as he settled down on the couch with a cup of tea.

"Well, actually, it's about the girls," Artemis began.

"Have you heard anything from them yet," Darien asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"No, we haven't," Luna replied. "I'm beginning to get worried about them. Perhaps we should have gone along after all. If not all of us, maybe just you, Darien."

"I'm sure they're okay, Luna," Darien commented nonchalantly. "They can handle themselves just fine." He took another sip of tea and chuckled. "They did pretty good without me before, didn't they?"

Luna frowned slightly at his comment. "Are you worried about them at all," she demanded.

"Of course I am," he replied with a sigh. "But it won't do anyone any good to worry. Besides, it's been ... nice having this break. I could get used to it." The cats looked at each other as he continued talking. "Sailor Pluto would have let us know something if anything had happened, so obviously, nothing has."

Artemis cleared his throat. "Well, since you're the future King, you would be able to sense if something happened to Serena and the others," he began. "And since you don't seem too worried, I guess we shouldn't worry, either."

"But Artemis," Luna protested, her voice on the verge of a whine.

"Luna, this is so unlike you ... for you to be acting this worried," Artemis said. "Darien is right, the girls will be fine. Let's get going." As the two cats went to the windowsill, Artemis turned back towards Darien. "If you get any bad feelings, you'll let us know?"

"Don't worry, I'll let you know," he replied. "The two of you should try relaxing sometime. You both deserve a break." The cats looked at him momentarily before they left through the window. After they left, Darien sighed uneasily. "I hope this feeling is right," he said softly.

*****

As Sage stood with his weapon raised, surrounded by soldiers, he quickly chose a target. As he was about to use his sure-skill, one of the soldiers knocked his sword out of his hand. He quickly set into action as the soldiers moved in on him. He kicked and punched at the soldiers, however they weren't as easily defeated as the enemies he was used to fighting were.

_'Hurry up, you guys,'_ he thought as he dodged a weapon swung by a soldier. He grunted as he picked up an enemy and threw him at another soldier. He screamed in pain as he was hit from behind and was knocked to the ground.

"Looks like you could use some help, Sage! Jupiter Thunderclap Zap," Jupiter yelled out as she sent her attack towards an unsuspecting soldier. The attack sent him flying through the air, and as he landed in the lake, smoke seemed to rise up as he disappeared. The remaining soldiers turned towards the newcomers and Mercury stepped forward.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast," she exclaimed. As everything and everyone was engulfed in the mist, the warriors ran over to Sage.

"Thanks you two," Sage said as he stood. "But where is everyone else? You didn't come alone, did you?"

"No, we're right here," Kento said as he, Sailor Moon, and Rowen suddenly appeared next to Jupiter and Mercury. He handed Sage his sword and smiled. "The others are back at the house, in case anything happens there."

"Where's Venus and Rini," Rowen asked as the mist began to dissipate. "I didn't see them anywhere before Sailor Mercury used her attack."

"They headed off towards the forest," Sage replied. "And Kite went after them." Just then, a bright flash of light came from the direction Sage was pointing in, followed by an explosion.

"Rini, Venus," Sailor Moon screamed. She took off running towards the path that led up to the forest.

"Sailor Moon, wait," Kento yelled after her. As he and the others started to follow her, the remaining soldiers stepped in front of them.

"These soldiers are a lot tougher than they look, and harder to defeat than we're used to," Sage warned. "So be careful."

Kento held his weapon to his side as he watched Sailor Moon disappear through the trees, and then looked back towards the others. "We've got to hurry in case Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus need us," he said. The other warriors nodded their head in agreement. Kento looked to where Sailor Moon had just been and sighed. _'Be careful,'_ he thought inwardly.

*****

Rini ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Finally, she had to stop and rest because she was beginning to wear out. She put her hands on her knees as she took in deep gasps of air. Cautiously, she looked in the direction she had just run from and gasped as she saw a sudden flash of light. "Oh no, Sailor Venus," she whispered. She heard the sound of branches snapping and gasped. Quickly looking for a place to hide, she chose a group of underbrush and hid underneath them. Seconds later, a figure appeared.

"Rini, where are you," the person called out. Rini carefully peeked out from her hiding place and saw Sailor Venus standing there.

"Venus," Rini exclaimed. The warrior turned towards the place Rini was hiding and caught the little girl as she jumped towards her. "Sailor Venus, you got away from Kite!"

"Yes, I have my ways," she replied. "And as I've said before, you're a very hard little girl to track down."

A frown quickly replaced the smile that was on Rini's face. "What are you talking about," she demanded as she struggled against the warrior's grasp.

"Oh, I think you already know exactly what I'm talking about, Rini," she replied. Rini gasped as blonde hair was replaced by black, and the tiara disappeared from her forehead, revealing a black, upside-down crescent moon.

"Kite," Rini exclaimed, struggling even more. "What did you do to Sailor Venus? Let me go! Someone help me!"

"Scream all you want, child," Kite said. "Venus won't come helping you any time soon. Nor anyone else, for that matter!"

"Someone please help me," Rini screamed again. She began to cry as she finally gave up trying to get out of Kite's grasp. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh not this game again," Kite said in an annoyed tone. She raised her hand, and as it began to glow, one of the hundreds of trees seemed to come alive. "Hold her," she said to the tree. She tossed Rini against the tree, and its' branches wrapped around her, and as it held her in place, it became inanimate once again.

"Let me go, Kite," Rini begged.

Kite smiled evilly and shook her head. "You see, Rini," she began, "I have learned something. You have the power to call forth the crystal my Lord desires. But in order for you to summon it, you must exert a certain amount of energy."

"I don't know how to use any power," Rini protested.

"Don't you lie to me, brat," Kite screamed. "I've seen what you can do, and I've seen your power!" By this time, the crescent moon on Rini's forehead began to shine. Kite backed away as energy emitting from Rini's chest began to crystallize and form into a jewel of some sort. "That's right, Rini," Kite exclaimed. "I knew you could do it!" As she reached out towards the little girl, something hit her, sending her flying away from Rini. The object continued flying through the air and arched back in the direction it had come from. A shadowed figure caught it and stepped forward.

"Hold it right there, Kite," Sailor Moon exclaimed. "I won't allow you to hurt Rini. Where there's a wrong, I will eliminate it. In the name of the moon, I will punish you." She turned towards the little girl as she heard her sigh.

"You heard me," Rini whimpered. "Thank you, Sailor Moon." Her body went limp as she fainted.

"Sailor Moon," Kite growled through clenched teeth. She put a hand by the sword at her side. "I'm going to make you regret coming here." Faster than Sailor Moon could even blink, Kite unsheathed her sword and leapt towards her. As Kite swung her sword, Sailor Moon quickly dropped to the ground. As she shakily stood up, the tree that was behind her fell in half.

"Are you trying to kill me," Sailor Moon demanded incredulously.

"Well ... yes," Kite replied. She screamed primitively as she leapt towards the other warrior once again. Sailor Moon managed to dodge Kite's attacks, however she was quickly wearing out. "Are you getting tired already," Kit demanded. She swung her sword once again, and as Sailor Moon backed up, she tripped over an upraised root of a tree. "This is perfect," Kite exclaimed as she stood over her. She raised her sword in the air, and as she swung it towards the terrified Scout, she was hit from the side and knocked away from her. Kite quickly stood angrily, but gasped as she saw her attacker.

"White Blaze," Sailor Moon exclaimed as the tiger stood over her protectively. He growled as Kite picked her weapon up off the ground.

"Ah, the Ronins' animal," she said in a bored tone. She gasped as the tiger ran and leapt towards her suddenly. She held her sword up in front of herself and While Blaze unarmed her. "Annoying beast," she spat. Energy shot out from her black crescent moon and hit the tiger. He roared in pain, and then fell to the ground. He slowly rose to his feet once again and struggled to make his way towards Rini. As he reached her, he fell down unconscious. Kite sneered evilly and as she turned back around, her eyes grew wide.

Sailor Moon stood there with her scepter in her hand. She smirked as she raised it in front of her. "Moon Scepter Elimination," she yelled. As the attack washed over Kite and she fell to the ground, Sailor Moon jumped up and down in joy. She rushed to Rini's side and checked over the little girl and the tiger. "Rini, are you okay," she asked. Rini groaned and then slowly opened her eyes.

"Serena," she said quietly. "You came for me."

"Of course I did," she exclaimed. "Rini, I'm so sorry for yelling at you this morning. I shouldn't have done it."

Rini's chin began to quiver, and she leaned towards her future mother to try to hug her. As she did so, the tree began to glow, and Rini became free of her bindings. Sailor Moon caught her in a hug as she fell forward. Once they released each other, Rini crossed her arms. "Well, don't let it happen again," she said with a small frown.

Sailor Moon smiled as she stood. "Well, let's get going," she replied as she offered a hand to Rini.

"Oh no, look behind you," Rini exclaimed. Sailor Moon spun around and gasped.

"But, that's impossible," she exclaimed. "I defeated you!"

"I won't be destroyed so easily," Kite said. She was surrounded by a black aura, and as she closed her eyes, it became darker. Sailor Moon gasped as the phantom image of the Armor of Cruelty appeared over Kite's body and the kanji of loyalty glowed on her forehead momentarily.

"Anubis' armor," Sailor Moon asked quietly. She clenched her fist tightly, angry with herself. "What Lady Kayura said was true!"

"Yes," Kite said as Anubis' weapon appeared in her hand. "Now I will show you the true power of his armor."

*****

"Ironrock Crusher," Kento yelled. He sent his attack flying towards the four remaining soldiers. As they jumped out of harms way, he uttered a couple of curse words under his breath. "Why can't we destroy them," he asked to no one in particular.

Rowen blocked a soldier's hit with his bow. "I don't know, but we've got to hurry so we can help the girls," he replied.

Sailor Jupiter and Sage stood side by side, facing off against one of the soldiers. Sage readied his sword while the antenna rose up from Jupiter's tiara. They looked at each other and then set into motion.

"Jupiter Thunderclap Zap," she yelled.

"Thunderbolt Cut," Sage said at the same time. Their two attacks combined and destroyed the soldier on contact. All the while, Mercury was typing away on her computer.

"It doesn't seem like they have weaknesses," she said. "The best strategy is to team up or take them by surprise." As she was about to put the computer away, it began to beep rapidly. She studied the screen for several moments, and then gasped in surprise. "Everyone, these soldiers seem to have some sort of power. I don't know what it is, but be careful." One of the soldiers threw a ball of energy at her while she was putting her computer away, and as it hit her, she screamed in pain.

"Sailor Mercury," Jupiter exclaimed, running to her aid. "Are you okay?"

"As well as can be expected," she replied. As the warriors looked over towards their enemy, the three remaining soldiers began to glow. Mercury tapped her earring, and as the visor slid into place, she began to scan the energies given off by the soldiers. "This is incredible! The soldiers can use energy attacks by utilizing the energy given off during this fight!" Suddenly, Mercury grabbed her head and began to glow. Once the glowing stopped, she fell to the ground unconscious.

"What happened," Sage asked as he rushed to Mercury's side, followed by Jupiter, Kento, and Rowen. Sage checked over her and frowned "Somehow it seems like she's used up all her energy. How is that possible?"

"There's a simple answer to that," Lotus said as he appeared, floating in the air. "These soldiers were specially made by me, supplying the Black Moon Dynasty with the power and energy it needs!" He raised his arm in the air, and five more soldiers showed up. "My present to you, Ronins. They're going to tear ..." He allowed his voice to trail off as he seemed to sense something. Then, as suddenly as he had appeared, he disappeared.

"What was that all about," Rowen asked.

"There's no time to worry about that now," Jupiter said. As the four warriors stood back to back, the soldiers formed a circle around them, gathering energy.

"I think we're in trouble," Kento said grimly. The four looked up as a voice shouted out.

"Evil spirits disperse," Sailor Mars yelled, throwing an ofuda (evil seals) at each of the soldiers. She landed on the outside of the circle in a crouched position as Ryo and Sai appeared behind her. "Looks like you could use our help," she commented as she stood. As Kento picked up Mercury, he, Jupiter, Sage, and Rowen jumped out of the circle, and landed next to their friends.

"We've got to destroy them," Jupiter said. "They can steal our strength if they throw their energy at us. That's what happened to Sailor Mercury."

"Alright," Mars replied. "Mars Fireballs Charge!" As her fireballs headed towards the frozen soldiers, Ryo unsheathed his swords and put the hilts together.

"Flare Up Now," he yelled out. Their attacks joined together, and the soldiers seemed to scream in protest. As smoke rose up from them, and they disappeared, the ofudas fell to the ground. Jupiter, Kento, Sage, and Rowen collectively sighed in relief.

"Is she going to be okay," Sai asked Kento, referring to Sailor Mercury.

"She should be fine," he replied. "She just needs some rest."

"Give her to me," Sai said. "I'm going to take her to the water. It always helps heal me when I'm injured, and since she's a soldier of the water, it should work on her, too." As Sai took her from Kento, he walked to the water's edge.

"What were those things, anyway," Ryo asked with a frown on his face.

"Our new enemy," Jupiter replied. "But we should talk about it when Sailor ... Oh God, Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus! They're still out there with Kite!" She took off running towards the path that led to the forest, and the others, except for Sai and Mercury, quickly followed. As the six warriors reached the outskirts of the forest, they stopped.

"Oh no," Mars said in a scared tone. Walking towards them were the missing warriors. Sailor Venus was carrying Rini, who was asleep in her arms. She was battered and bruised, and she was limping badly. White Blaze, who was also limping, had an unconscious Sailor Moon sprawled on his back.

"What happened," Ryo asked, as they rushed to meet the small group halfway. "Where is Kite?"

"Please, take Rini," Venus replied, barely above a whisper. She hardly managed to hand the little girl over to Ryo before she fainted. As she fell, Rowen caught her.

"Mina," he said, shaking he slightly. "Mina, can you hear me?" She mumbled something and then fell asleep with a smile on her face. Rowen sighed in relief, and then stood up, holding her in his arms. Kento walked over to White Blaze and patted him on the head.

"You're a good boy, White Blaze," he said as he lifted the unconscious girl off of the tiger's back.

"Kento," Jupiter said, taking a hesitant step towards him. "How is she?"

"She'll be fine," he replied. "She just needs rest. We all do." Jupiter buried her face in her hands, and Sage put a comforting arm around her, pulling her towards him in a hug.

"Let's get Sai and Mercury, and head back to Mia's house," Mars said, crossing her arms. "We're going to have a lot to discuss."

__

To Be Continued ...

Please leave reviews! It's driving my crazy that I don't know what you think. Do you like the way this is going so far? Let me know!


	8. This Time Around, Chapter 08

TTA08 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

****

This Time Around

Chapter 8

Mia and Yuli were in the living room, waiting patiently for the ten warriors to return. Mia was sitting on the couch with her knees pulled up to her chest, and Yuli was sitting by the window, fidgeting with a nearby plant. He accidentally knocked it over, causing Mia to jump.

"Oh Yuli, you scared me," she exclaimed. She got off the couch to help the boy clean up the mess he had made.

"I'm real sorry, Mia," he replied. "I'm just really worried about everyone. Rini was really upset when she left this morning. What if something happened to her?"

"She's your best friend, isn't she," Mia asked as she put the plant in its' upright position.

Yuli nodded his head and sat back on the windowsill. As he gazed out the window, he gasped. "Hey Mia, look," he exclaimed. "They're back!" Mia rushed over to the window and smiled as she saw them walking in the distance.

"Come on, Yuli," she said. "Let's go meet them!" The two ran out the front door. As the warriors drew nearer, the smile on Mia's face disappeared. Though she knew they were going off to fight, she was still shocked by their appearance. The boys were wearing their sub-armor, and the girls had reverted back to their normal clothing. She saw that Serena, Mina, Rini, and Amy were all unconscious, and that all the warriors, including the little girl, had a variation of cuts and bruises. "Oh no, what happened," Mia asked.

"Kite attacked us with some new soldiers," Ryo replied. "It took a lot out of all of us to defeat them." Mia's forehead furrowed into a frown as she noticed that even White Blaze had attained injuries.

"Will Rini be okay," Yuli asked as he ran over to where Ryo was standing to check on his friend.

"She'll be fine, Yuli," Ryo replied. "She just needs some rest."

"Soldiers," Mia asked in a confused voice. "Do you mean soldiers from the Dynasty?"

"Not quite, Mia," Sage replied. "They didn't look like Dynasty Soldiers, but they were wearing armor."

"They also looked like the enemies we're used to fighting," Lita said as she frowned. "They fought a lot like the Doom and Gloom Girls. They attacked us together when our guard was down."

Rei visually shuddered as she thought of their previous enemy; the ones that had carried out Beryl's final assault on them. "It's all very confusing," she said quietly. "I'm going to have to meditate. Maybe I'll learn something from the fire."

"You should get everyone in the house first," Sai said as Amy began to stir in his arms.

"Good idea, Sai," Mia replied. She frowned as she thought about their situation. "I can do some research while you all get some rest."

*******

The next night, as the sun began to set, Mia went into the kitchen to begin dinner. She had spent the entire afternoon in her study the previous day, while the warriors got some rest from their battle. She had also worked well into the night, and when she had woken up the next morning, she continued in her search. She had been in the study working diligently to see if she could figure out where the new enemy had come from. She had only taken one other break from her work, when Amy and Rini had woken up at noon. As Mia looked around the kitchen, she decided to order take-out instead.

"Hey Mia," Rei greeted as she came into the kitchen. She had woken up the same time Mia woke up that morning, and spent the day reading fire. "What are you doing?"

"Ordering dinner," Mia replied as she reached for her purse. "I'm too frustrated and tired to cook right now."

"Well, one of us could have done it," Rei said, reaching for an apple from the fruit bowl and taking a bite of it. "In fact, I could have cooked tonight. I'm sure that Ryo wouldn't have minded helping me."

"You really like him, don't you," Mia asked. "I can tell that he likes you, too. The two of you would make a cute couple." She smiled as Rei blushed from embarrassment. "Well, did you find anything while you were meditating?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Rei replied as her face returned to its' normal color. "Did you find anything in your search?"

"No, nothing," Mia replied. "Amy passed by the study to see if I needed any help. She saw how upset I was becoming, so she was kind enough to offer to continue looking through my Grandfather's files while I made dinner."

At the mention of her teammate, Rei looked up. "Speaking of Amy, do you know how Serena and Mina are doing," she asked.

"The last time I checked, they were both asleep," Mia replied. "Kento was in the room with Serena, and Rowen told me Mina was still sleep about an hour ago."

"Actually, I'm awake now," Mina said as she and Rowen came into the kitchen.

"Yeah, she finally returned to the land of the living," Rowen joked. Mina smiled at him, and then a small frown crossed her face.

"How are Serena and Rini doing," she asked, taking a seat at the counter, on one of the stools. "Are they awake?"

"Rini and Amy are awake, but Serena is still unconscious," Rei replied.

"Did something happen to Amy as well," Mina asked. "Now that I think about it, I didn't see either her or Sai before I fainted. What happened?"

"I was drained of all my energy by one of those soldiers," Amy said as she entered the kitchen. "Sai was taking care of me. I'm glad that you're okay now, Mina." She gave her friend a small hug, and Mina returned the gesture. "How is Serena doing?"

"She's still asleep," Mia replied as she stretched where she was standing. "Did you find anything on the computer that I missed?"

"Yes, actually," Amy stated. "Come with me, and I'll show you what I found."

"Okay," Mia replied, following her. As she got to the door, she stopped and snapped her fingers. "I almost forgot! Rei, the money for the food is on the counter. Will you take care of everything for me?"

"Sure, Mia," Rei said. She watched as Mia left after Amy, and Sage entered the room.

"Hey everyone," he said to Rei, Mina, and Rowen. He looked in the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "It's good to see you awake, Mina," he commented after he took a sip. "I'll take it that Serena is still unconscious?"

"Yes," Mina stated. They all let out a sigh simultaneously. Mina looked towards the living room, where Yuli and Rini were watching television. White Blaze was sitting between the children, and Mina became transfixed as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall with each breath he took.

"Mina," Rowen said, breaking through her concentration, "is something wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered slowly. "I was just wondering what happened after Kite defeated me and knocked me unconscious." She paused as Rini looked in their direction, smiled at them, and then turned back towards the television. "When I found Rini and Serena," Mina continued, "Serena was unconscious already, and Rini was sobbing. I asked her what happened, but she wouldn't tell me. All she did was cry harder."

"Well, I think it would be best if we didn't ask too many questions," Rowen stated. "Not after what happened yesterday."

"That's probably for the best," Sage said. As silence settled between the four warriors, Sage cleared his throat. "Have any of you seen Lita?"

"She's in the training room," Sai said, entering the kitchen. "She looked like she was training pretty intensely."

"Thanks," Sage replied. As he left the kitchen, he heard Sai ask about Serena and smiled. He walked down the hall, towards the training room, and once he got there, he saw that Sai had been right. Lita was punching and kicking away at the punching bag. He leaned against the frame of the door as he watched her pummel away.

"Can't ... be ... weak," Lita panted out, hitting the bag with each word. She finally gave up her assault on the punching bag as she sank down to the ground. "I'm sorry I didn't protect you well enough, Serena," she whispered as tears slowly slide down her cheeks.

"Lita," Sage said cautiously. She looked up in surprise and laughed nervously as she wiped at her eyes. She stood up quickly as Sage studied her.

"I hate it when sweat gets in my eyes," she said as Sage walked towards her. "I really should get a headband. Maybe I should ask Rowen where he got his. I would get mine in green, of course, and ..."

"Lita," Sage interrupted, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Why were you crying?"

Lita angrily shook his hands off of her and turned her back to him. "I wasn't crying," she replied stubbornly, crossing her arms. Sage walked up behind her, and she shivered as his mouth brushed past her ear.

"Lita," he whispered to her, "I was standing there, watching you long enough to tell something was wrong. What is it?"

Lita sighed as she allowed her arms to drop to her sides. "I feel as if I let Serena down," she said sadly, shaking her head. "And now she's upstairs unconscious."

"It's not your fault, Lita," he replied. "No one can be blamed for what happened." He paused as she turned around to look at him. "No one could have predicted what would happen."

"But I'm so weak," she protested.

"No, Lita," he exclaimed. "You're the exact opposite of that! We all did what we could, and you protected Serena the best you could, given the situation. Sailor Moon knew what she was doing when she ran off after Rini to confront Kite."

"I still need to train, to become stronger," she said after a few minutes of silence.

"That's a start," Sage said. Before Lita could say anything more, he covered her mouth with his and kissed her softly. As they broke apart, he pulled her towards him in a tight embrace. "And I will help you."

"Thank you, Sage," she said, returning his hug.

*******

_"Serena,"_ the blonde girl heard a voice say to her. _"Serena, wake up."_ Serena began to stir and slowly opened her eyes. As her sight became focused, she noticed that she was in a large, beautiful garden.

"Wow," she breathed, taking in her flowery surroundings. "Where am I?"

_"I think you already know the answer to that, Princess Serenity,"_ the voice said from behind Serena. She turned around, and a smile lit up her face.

"Mother," she exclaimed. As she stepped towards the woman, she noticed that she had, in fact, become Princess Serenity, and she was wearing her white and golden gown. "What's going on? Am I here for a reason?"

"_You needed me, daughter, and I have come to you,"_ Queen Serenity replied. _"What is it that troubles you?"_

"I don't know, Mother," she said, taking a deep breath. "I didn't even realize I had summoned you!"

_"Serenity, sometimes your heart wishes for something that your mind has not yet come to fully realize,"_ the Queen commented. _"If you search your heart, you will know what you wanted to ask."_

"Well, there is something," Serena replied. "I don't understand this new enemy, or the little girl the Scouts and I are supposed to protect ... They confuse me. Also, I've been . . . I've been . . ."

_"Talk to me, Serenity,"_ the Queen coaxed as Serena's voice trailed off. _"You can tell me anything."_

"I've ... I've been questioning my destiny," Serena replied hesitantly. "I know that I will rule as Queen one day, and I have accepted that. And though I would never purposely try to change anything, I just wish that everything was not so set in stone." She paused as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "I feel as if I have been cheated somehow. Don't I have the right to choose what I want to do?"

_"My sweet daughter,"_ the Queen began, taking Serena into her arms. _"Some things about destiny are meant to be changed. If I had not given up life to save you and your court, then the Moon Kingdom would be dead, and evil would run rampant."_ She studied her troubled daughter's face before continuing. _"If you make changes, you would not be a lesser leader, Serenity. Do you understand?"_

"Yes, I think I do," Serena replied, wiping the tears from her face. "Thank you, Mother." Queen Serenity smiled warmly and kissed Serena on the forehead.

_"I will always be here for you in spirit, and I will always love you,"_ she said. _"Now go back to your loved ones, Princess Serenity. Wake up ..."_

Serena opened her eyes and noticed that she was in the guestroom where she had been staying. She winced in pain as she sat up, and turned her head to look at the clock, which read eight PM. As she slowly brought her hand up to her face, and touched the spot her mother kissed her on the forehead, she smiled. "It must have all been a dream," she said softly. "I wonder how long I was out?" She slowly, carefully stretched, and as she did so, her feet kicked something. She frowned slightly in annoyance, but once she saw what it was, her frown disappeared.

Kento was sitting on the floor, however he had fallen asleep with his head on the end of the bed. As Serena got out of bed, Kento began to stir and woke up. "Serena," he asked in a sleepy voice. "Are you really up, or am I just dreaming?"

"You're dreaming, Kento," she replied with a warm smile. "Go back to sleep." He mumbled something as he laid his head back down and grew silent. Serena tiptoed over to the balcony and threw open the door. As she took in a deep breath of fresh air, she heard Kento get up. As she saw him out the corner of her eye, she smirked.

"You were going to just let me sleep, weren't you," he asked with a lop-sided grin.

"Yeah," she replied as she turned towards him. "You let me sleep, so I thought I'd return the favor." She smiled and then looked back towards the moon. "Have you been watching over me the whole time?"

"Yes, I did," he said. "I tried to stay awake in case you woke up, but I dozed off from time to time." He paused and chuckled a little. "The others had to practically force me to leave your side."

"I'm sorry for causing such trouble," she said.

"I didn't mind, though. You didn't cause any trouble at all," he exclaimed. "Not for me, or anyone else!"

"How is Rini doing? Is she okay," she asked, changing the subject.

"She's doing fine. All she needed was some sleep," he replied. "She was worried about you the most, you know."

"She was," she asked, confused. "Why? How long was I out?"

"For about one and a half, two days . . . Serena," he began. She turned towards him once again. "What happened out there between you and Kite? Rini won't even talk about it! I was so worried about you when you didn't wake up yesterday. I figured since both you and Mina fought against Kite, and she woke up yesterday, you would, too, but you never did!" As he reached towards Serena, she stepped away from him slightly.

"Um, Kento," she said, noticing a look of hurt cross his face. "I ... I think we should go downstairs and let everyone know I'm okay. I really want to see Rini."

Kento smiled as he dropped his arms to his side. "Sure, Serena," he replied. "Let's get down there. Besides, I'm starving!"

"Yeah, me too," she replied. Bother Serena and Kento laughed, and as they left the balcony, two figures holding staffs stared up at the house.

"Are you positive this is what you want to do, Lady Kayura," Sailor Pluto asked. "We will not be able to undo it."

"Yes," Kayura replied. "It's the only choice we have. I just hope they'll all cooperate with us."

__

To Be Continued . . .

Be kind and leave a comment! ^_~ I'd like to thank Lady Squirt and Sam, for keeping me motivated to write. Thanks so much! And thanks to everyone who leaves a comment. It's greatly appreciated! Bye for now…


	9. This Time Around, Chapter 09

TTA09 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 9

Lotus stood over the enclosed capsule where Kite was resting. He had found her shortly after the battle between her and Sailor Moon had ended. Because Sailor Moon had been knocked out, and Rini was defenseless, it had been the perfect opportunity for Lotus to finally seize both the crystal and the girl. However, because Kite was so badly injured, he had taken her instead and placed her in the energy capsule. That had been two days ago. He had been severely reprimanded for failing to obtain the crystal, however that didn't matter to him. He sighed as he continued to study his partner.

Kite was lying down in a velvet-lined, oval shaped capsule. At each end of the capsule rested a black jewel, one by her feet and one by her head. Dark energy shot from the jewel by her feet, and as the energy wrapped around Kite's body, it disappeared into the jewel near her head. A single beam shot out from that jewel, and went directly into the upside-down crescent moon on her forehead. This process slowly restored the energy of the person inside of the capsule.

Lotus put his hands on the glass case and leaned forward. "Open your eyes, Kite," he said to her. "I know you have a stronger will than this." To his surprise, Kite's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. He pushed the correct sequence of buttons on the machine, and as the lid slid open, he helped her sit up.

"Lotus," she said, confused. She looked around the dark room and frowned slightly. "How did I get here?" She recalled the events of her fight with Sailor Moon, and closed her eyes in shame. "I failed you again, didn't I?"

"I don't care about that, Kite," he replied. "But I am mad that you did not listen to my orders. You disobeyed me."

"I am not your servant, Lotus, and I resent you for thinking of me as one," she said angrily.

"Hold your tongue, Kite," he said in a low voice. "Have you forgotten so easily the promise you made me?" Kite looked down at the ground and shook her head.

"Of course I didn't," she replied.

Lotus pushed her head up so that they had eye contact. "The day we left our homes, we promised to stay together. We promised each other that we would make decisions together."

"I have kept my promise to you, Lotus," she protested. "I haven't hurt the child unnecessarily! What have I done wrong?"

"You used the Armor of Cruelty and the Armor of Illusion before you could fully handle their power," he stated, crossing his arms.

"But I thought I could handle it," she replied. "I never thought that they would hold so much untapped power!"

"Thinking you can handle the armor of the Warlords isn't good enough," Lotus snapped. "Our Master stressed the fact that anyone else using the power of the Armors would take extra energy, especially since they were crafted for their original owners. You could have been killed using that power too soon!"

"Oh Lotus," Kite began. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him. She then pulled herself back a little and briefly pushed her lips against his. "I'm sorry that I worried you . . . But I have experienced the full power of both armors. I'm ready to try again. I won't fail this time." She searched his face pleadingly, however she did not see any compassion.

"No, Kite," Lotus stated. "I'm going myself this time. I have complete control over the Armor of Corruption and the Armor of Venom. Our Master wanted to see you when you woke up." He kissed her on the forehead, and then disappeared as he began to walk away.

"Have you lost faith in me, my love," Kite asked out loud. She sighed and then made her way to the throne room. As she entered and stood before the man on the throne, she knelt down. "Did you summon me, Master?"

"I did, Kite," he replied. "I took note of your latest attempts to capture the child. Though I am disappointed due to your failures, I noticed your steel determination. It is admirable."

"Thank you, Master," she stated. She looked back towards the ground and grew silent as he held up his hand.

"I have foreseen what will happen, Kite," he continued. "Lotus will, indeed, succeed in capturing the one called Rini. However, he is far too weak, too soft, to execute my plans fully. This is why you will continue where he will inevitably fail. I want you to perform the ceremony on the child. The procedure is a dangerous one, and if she doesn't die in the process, she will join us as one of my warriors."

Kite's eyes grew huge. "But my Emperor, do you realize what you're asking me to do? I made a promise to Lotus," she protested. "To go back on my word would dishonor both our trust and our love!"

"And to defy my word will be the end of you," he yelled viciously. He studied her for a moment as his anger subsided, and then smiled evilly. "I won't do anything in haste. You are only a woman, and you're confused about where your loyalty lies. You are needed yet, Kite." He stood up and as an aura surrounded him, Kite gasped in fear. As his eyes glowed red, she screamed out in agony. The excruciating pain was too much and she passed out. He walked past her, and two soldiers appeared on either side of her.

"L-Lotus," she moaned in her unconscious state.

"Bring her this way," the Emperor commanded as he left the throne room. The soldiers obeyed, and followed him wordlessly.

*******

"So Mia," Ryo began as everyone found a seat, "what did you want to tell us all?"

Mia looked around the living room and sighed. "Well, I really wanted to wait until everyone was here, but I don't know when Serena will wake up. And Kento won't leave her side, so here goes. Last night, Amy found something that might tell us who the new enemy is, but more importantly, what their mission is."

"Yes, we found a hidden message in Mia's grandfather's files," Amy continued. "It appears to be some sort of prophecy. The only set back is that we have only been able to translate half of it."

"Well, what did it say," Rei asked, her interest sparked.

"It goes like this: _When the Ancient Evil comes for the child with the sacred jewel within, two must become one_," Mia replied.

"That's strange," Rowen commented.

"As Amy said, we haven't been able to translate the other half of the prophecy," Mia continued. "So it may not make any sense at all until we can do that."

_'Oh no,'_ Rini thought to herself. _'That's almost exactly what Kite said to me! Maybe she wasn't lying to me.'_ She inadvertently groaned, and Yuli looked over at her.

"Rini, what's the matter," he asked. "Is something wrong?"

She slowly nodded her head. "Yuli," she whispered, leaning towards her friend. "That's almost the same exact thing Kite said to me the first time I met her!"

"What is," he asked, confused.

"What Mia just told us," Rini replied, whispering even softer, if possible. "Kite told me she came for the crystal hidden inside of me!"

"Do you think that prophecy is about you then, Rini," he asked a little too loudly, drawing everyone's attention towards them. As everyone studied the two children, the boy fidgeted nervously. "Um, I'm sorry. Was I talking too loudly," Yuli asked, realizing his mistake.

"What are you two over there talking about," Mina asked. When neither of them answer, Mina shook her head. "Did I hear you correctly, Yuli? Did you ask Rini if the prophecy was about her?"

"We were just talking, Mina," Yuli said. Rini's eyes shined with moisture as she looked at her friend.

_'He's willing to lie for me,'_ she thought fondly. _'He's lying to keep my secret safe!'_

"Yuli," Mia said sternly. "We've known each other long enough to be able to tell when you're not telling the truth!"

"But Mia," Yuli began, looking at Rini for help.

"No buts, Yuli," Sage added. "You're only stalling for time. What were you two over there talking about?"

"It could help us solve this mystery, Yuli," Amy added gently. "So whatever you know, or you think you may know, you should tell us!"

"Maybe they really don't know anything," Serena said from the bottom of the stairs. Everyone turned towards her voice and smiled as they saw both Serena and Kento standing there.

"Serena," the Ronins, Scouts, Mia, and Yuli said in unison.

"Serena," Rini exclaimed. She ran towards the teenager and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Serena! I was so worried about you! I'm glad you're okay."

"I told you I would be fine, Rini," Serena replied kindly. "Now didn't I?" Rini shook her head, and Serena rested her hand on the top of the girl's head.

"How long have you been awake," Sai asked.

"Not too long, actually. Kento was asleep when I woke up. I had to wake him up," Serena joked. She suddenly got quiet as she thought about what had happened on the balcony with Kento. _'Well, what almost happened,'_ she said to herself, once again visualizing the hurt look on his face.

"I bet you're both hungry, aren't you," Yuli asked, breaking her train of thought.

"You bet, buddy," Kento said with a laugh, as Serena managed a weak smile. "Starving would be a better word to use," he added.

"We can fix something for you," Rini said quickly, grabbing Yuli's arm. "Let's go, Yuli!" Before anyone could object, the two children ran off to the kitchen.

"She sure did leave pretty fast," Serena commented. She looked over her group of friends and sighed. "Have I missed anything important?"

"Well, let me just say it's good to see you awake, Serena" Mia began. Serena smiled as the woman continued. "You haven't missed much, but we were just discussing something Amy and I discovered on the computer."

Serena raised an eyebrow as she looked over at Amy. "Really," she asked. "What did you find?"

"It's a prophecy that Mia and I were able to translate halfway," Amy replied.

"_When the Ancient Evil comes for the child with the sacred jewel within, two must become one_," Mia recited for the second time.

"What is that supposed to mean," Serena asked.

"Perhaps I can answer that question for you," Lady Kayura said from the doorway. Everyone jumped in surprise as she, Kale, Sekhmet, and Dais entered the living room. The three men were dressed similarly to what Kayura was wearing. The only difference was that their silk kimonos were gray with silver trimmings. "Greetings once again, Ronin Warriors and Sailor Scouts."

"Kale, Sekhmet, Dais," Ryo said, "it's been a long time."

"What brings you here," Sai asked.

"We have a proposition to make," Kale replied. He paused and looked at the girls. "And it requires your cooperation as well." This statement caused the Scouts to look warily at the newcomers.

"We don't fully trust you, however we will hear you out," Mina said.

"I assure you, we mean no harm to any of you," Dais said.

"And this coming from the former Warlord of Illusions," Lita commented dryly.

"If need be, we'll do this without your help," Sekhmet commented, narrowing his eyes at Lita.

"Still the hot-headed one, I see," Rei retorted sarcastically. "Wasn't it your mouth that was causing trouble for Kayura before?"

"You have no room to talk, Soldier of Fire," Sekhmet growled. "That is history between Lady Kayura and myself! Besides, you have trouble with your own leader as well. We have studied the Sailor Scouts, and you, more than anyone else, are constantly on Sailor Moon's case!"

"Hey," Kento shouted, silencing everyone. "Stop arguing." He turned towards the Sailor Scouts. "Girls, I know it's difficult to believe the former Warlords, but we trust them. And since we're allies," he continued, motioning towards the girls and the other Ronins, "I think you should trust them, too."

"Kento has a point," Rowen added. "We should hear them out. We're not going to get anywhere arguing." The girls nodded their heads in silent agreement.

"Thank you," Kayura replied, smiling briefly at the girls. "As I was saying, I may have a solution to this problem. Sailor Pluto and I have discussed the best way to defeat the Black Moon Dynasty."

"And what solution did you come up with," Amy asked.

"Alone, neither the Scouts nor the Ronins are strong enough to defeat them," Kayura continued. "But together, you will be able to overcome them."

"But that's what we have been doing," Serena stated. "And that hasn't worked yet."

"You misunderstand my meaning," Kayura said. "In order to defeat the Black Moon Dynasty, you have to join together, as one unified force."

Mia's face lit up as a realization hit her. "Two must become one," she exclaimed. "That's exactly what it says in that prophecy!" Kayura smiled and shook her head.

"Is that even possible," Amy asked. "Are you suggesting that we merge our worlds together?"

"It will be difficult, but it can be done," Kayura replied. "However, once it is done, it can not become undone. Your two worlds would be permanently merged together."

"This is a decision the ten of you must make together," Kale said. "If even one of you do not want this done, then it won't be done."

"What about the people, our families," Sage asked. "How will they be affected?"

"Only this house and the people within, as well as the Nether Realm, will be merged with the Scouts' world," Dais replied. "And it will be as if the Ronin Warriors and the events that have occurred concerning Talpa's attack never existed. To the people, it would have never happened."

"We'll die to them," Sai asked incredulously. "What about our parents and our families?"

"They can't mourn the death of someone they never knew in the first place," Kayura commented sadly. The meaning of her words caused the Ronins to become quiet.

"That is not fair to Yuli," Mia exclaimed. "Though my immediate family is dead, his are not! You can not take him away from his parents!"

"Neither you nor the boy have to go, should the Ronins and Scouts decide to go through with this," Sekhmet said. "This is not your decision to make."

"This is my house," Mia exclaimed. "Of course I have a say in this!"

As the former Warlords were about to say something else, Lady Kayura put a hand up to silence them. "Mia," she began. "What would you have us do, then?"

The question took Mia by surprise, and she searched her head for an answer. "I suppose exactly the same thing you're suggesting," she finally replied. "But if the Ronins and Scouts decide to go through with this, I'm going as well. I don't have much to look forward to here . . . Not anymore."

"Mia," Ryo began as he realized what, rather who, she was talking about. She smiled at him sadly, and he returned the gesture. "Thank you, but we're not even sure ourselves what we're going to do!"

"Well, I'll support whatever decision you make," she replied. The room grew silent, and finally, Serena spoke up.

"You knew about part of the prophecy, Kayura," she began slowly. "Do you know what the rest means?" Kayura, Sekhmet, Dais, and Kale looked at each other uneasily.

"Sailor Pluto would best be able to explain that," Kayura said, choosing her words carefully. "But know that what the second half of the prophecy says will not come to pass if your two worlds are not merged."

"What would happen to the four of you," Rowen asked Kayura.

"That's a difficult question to answer," Kayura replied. "But since we live in the Nether Realm we will either remain here, or go with you. We are, after all, guides and protectors of the Ronin Warriors."

"Then wouldn't this make it your decision as well," Ryo asked.

"We are here simply to serve you," Kale answered. "The decision rests upon your shoulders, not ours."

"Our duty is to protect our worlds," Mina said quietly. "Both of our futures are at stake, here. If the Black Moon Dynasty is that strong, and this is the only way to defeat our enemy, what other choice do we have?" The room grew silent as everyone was left to his or her own thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity, Kayura cleared her throat.

"I know that this is a difficult decision for you to make, Ronins. You'll be sacrificing a lot," Kayura began. "But you must make a decision soon. The identity of the leader of our enemy is still unknown, and we don't know when they'll attack again."

"Mina's right, you know," Sage commented. "We would all miss our families, but our duty comes first. I'm in."

"If we don't do this, the lives of our loved ones are at stake," Rowen added. "I'll do it."

"I understand what Mina and Amy meant about chance or fate," Sai said. He grabbed Amy's hand and squeezed it. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect those I care for deeply."

"We owe it to everyone to at least try," Ryo said. He extended his hand, and Rowen, Sai, and Sage put their hands on top of his. Ryo looked towards the last remaining Ronin. "Kento?"

"I want to make Kite pay for what she's done so far," Kento exclaimed, putting his hand on top of his teammates. "You can count on me!"

Kayura gave a small smile as she turned towards the Scouts. Serena looked at each one of the girls, and they all had hopeful looks on their faces. She turned towards the kitchen as Rini and Yuli each came out carrying a tray. As she looked at Rini, her answer came to her. She walked over towards the Ronins and added her hand to the top of the pile.

"It looks like we'll be working together for a long time," she said with a smile. The girls sighed as they joined Serena's side.

"Thank God, Serena," Lita said. "You had me scared there for a minute!" She blushed slightly as Sage smiled at her. As the Ronins and Scouts continued to talk, two figures entered the room. Rini was the first to see them.

"Sailor Pluto," she exclaimed. She ran over to the woman and Pluto extended her arms as Rini jumped towards her. "I thought that you couldn't come here for me!"

"Don't misinterpret my visit, Small Lady," Pluto replied. "I can only stay for a short time." By this time, the girls had turned their attention towards Rini and Sailor Pluto and went over to where the two were standing. The other figure stepped into the light from the foyer, and the girls gasped.

"Darien," the girls said in unison. Luna and Artemis had been sitting on his shoulders, and they jumped towards their respective owners.

"You've made the right decision, Serena," Luna said. "I knew you would!" Serena smiled as she looked at her guardian.

"I've missed you so much, Luna," she said. "I'm glad you're here." Luna rubbed her head against Serena's cheek, and then jumped down from her shoulder. Darien quietly cleared his throat, and as Serena looked over, she took a step closer to him.

"I'm glad to see you," Darien said as he caressed her cheek.

"It's good to see you too, Darien," she said softly. He smiled, pulling her towards him. As they embraced each other in a hug, a strange feeling washed over Serena. She looked over to where Rini had been standing, and she was gone.

__

To Be Continued . . .

****

AN - Thanks everyone for leaving your comments! I really appreciate it, so make sure to leave 'em for this part, too! And also, sorry it took so long for me to get this part out. I'm afraid I'm starting to get writer's block. -_-* I'll try to get the next part out a lot sooner!


	10. This Time Around, Chapter 10

TTA10 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

AN - This is mostly a filler chapter, but I still want those reviews! Tell me what you think, and your opinions of what, exactly, you think is going on.

****

This Time Around

Chapter 10

"Rini," Serena exclaimed as she wiggled free from Darien's grasp. "You guys, where did she go?"

"Relax, Serena," Rei said. "She just went upstairs. You didn't see her leave?"

"No, I didn't," Serena replied.

"Here's your food, Miss Serena," Yuli said, handing her plate to her. She smiled her thanks to the boy as he took Kento his plate.

"Thanks, Yuli," Kento commented happily as he dived right into eating.

"Yuli, did Rini say anything to you in the kitchen," Serena asked. "It's weird that she just left without saying anything to anyone."

"No, not really," Yuli replied. "She said she was sleepy, though."

"There's no need to worry, Serena," Sai commented. "She probably was just tired."

"Is Rini that pink-haired little girl," Darien asked. "There seems to be something different about her… Something undoubtedly familiar. She was looking at me strangely."

"Yes, that's Rini," Serena replied. "She's the one we were sent here to look for."

"Why were you so concerned about her, Serena," Darien asked. "And why does she look like you?"

"I . . . don't know, Darien," Serena replied quietly. Sailor Pluto noticed how upset Serena was getting, and frowned angrily towards Darien.

_'It's too soon to tell them of Rini's true origin,'_ Pluto thought silently. _'But I can't let Prince Darien badger the Princess like this!'_ As she was about to say something, Kento cleared his throat.

"Serena was sent here to find Rini and protect her," he began. "I'm sure whatever Serena is feeling right now, it's just genuine concern."

Darien looked over towards Kento and frowned slightly. "Excuse me, but I was talking to Serena," he retorted. "Just who are you, anyway?"

"Darien, be nice," Serena scolded. "You probably don't remember them, but these five guys are the Ronin Warriors. We helped them get home when they were stuck in our world," she continued, crossing her arms. "The guy you were so rude to is Kento."

"I suppose I was being rude," Darien replied. "I apologize. Any friend of the Scouts is an ally of mine as well."

As Serena introduced the rest of the Ronins to Darien, Lady Kayura stepped forward and turned towards Serena. "Princess, is there anything you need? We must prepare the Nether Realm for the merging of the two worlds," she said, gesturing towards the former Warlords.

"Did you just call me Princess," Serena asked, shocked.

"Well, yes. That's what we'll regard you as, now," Kale replied. "Once our two worlds join, we will serve the Moon Kingdom, as well as the Nether Realm."

"Are we going to serve the Moon Kingdom, too," Ryo asked.

"Yes, Wildfire, however that will all be explained later," Kayura said. "We must go, now, but is there anything at all, Princess Serenity?"

"Well actually, there is something," Serena said thoughtfully. She looked towards the Scouts and smiled slightly. "This will also answer your questions about what happened between me and Kite."

"I was wondering when you were going to talk about that," Lita commented.

Serena smiled sheepishly, and then cleared her throat. "Well, while I was fighting Kite, she used the power of Anubis' armor," she explained.

A soft gasp came from Mia's direction as she dropped the mug she was holding. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered when everyone turned and looked at her. As she cleaned up the mess she had made, Kayura put a hand on her shoulder. Mia smiled at the other woman as she sensed Kayura knew how she felt. Mia finished cleaning up her mess as Kayura turned back towards Serena.

"Please continue, Princess," Kayura said calmly. "What happened after that?"

Serena looked towards Mia briefly and then sighed. "His symbol appeared on Kite's forehead, and his armor momentarily appeared over her body," she continued. "She even had his weapon. Before I knew what was happening, she threw the weapon towards me, and chains wrapped around me and began taking my energy. She was about to use his special move, however when she yelled out the words, she was hurt by the attack instead. I must have fainted shortly after that, because the next thing I knew, I was back in my room."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, Serena," Darien said.

"I don't need to be protected, Darien," Serena said angrily. "If Kite hadn't pulled that dirty trick, I would have defeated her easily!"

"You know what I meant," Darien replied in a hurt voice.

Serena immediately softened her tone. "Oh Darien, I'm sorry," she began. "I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. I just wish Rini hadn't been there when all this happened. She looked so scared."

"I understand better now, Serena," Mina exclaimed. "No wonder Rini was crying when I found you guys! But how did Kite catch up to her? I told her to run and she should have hid as well."

Serena smiled, but a frown quickly replaced it. "One other thing I remember was that before I passed out, Rini told me Kite had used an illusion to make herself look like Sailor Venus, Mina," she added. "So it's possible that Kite can also use the powers of the Armor of Illusion."

"Damn it all," Dais exclaimed angrily. "Kayura, how is it that this Kite can use the power and sure-skills of our armors?"

"Dais has a point, Lady Kayura," Sekhmet added. "The armors were crafted for each of us to use, as well as Talpa, were they not?"

"You are right, Sekhmet. I don't know how Kite can use the armors, but I do have my suspicions," Kayura replied. "Thank you, Princess Serenity. The information you shared will surely help me tremendously. We must go now, however we will return soon."

As the Scouts, Ronins, Mia, Yuli, and Darien watched the four Nether Realm Guardians leave, Sailor Pluto cleared her throat. "We must still make a decision about where Yuli will stay," she began. "But there is something I must tell you all, first."

"What do you mean, Sailor Pluto," Yuli asked. "I'm going to stay right here with my friends!"

Sailor Pluto frowned slightly as she watched Mia walk over to Yuli and kneel down next to him. _'You don't realize how right you are, young one,'_ she thought sadly.

"Yuli, I'm afraid it's going to be more difficult than that," Mia began gently. "The Ronins and I aren't going to be here for very much longer."

"You're moving," Yuli asked. "Where are you moving to?" Mia sighed, as she was at a loss for words.

"Yuli," Mia began.

"Yuli," Sailor Pluto interrupted, "perhaps you should take Luna and Artemis into the kitchen to get them something to eat. I'm sure they'd like that very much."

"Oh, alright," Yuli replied as Luna and Artemis stood next to him. "Come on, kitties."

Luna looked at Sailor Pluto questioningly, and nodded her head at the silent message passed between them. "I'm Luna, Yuli," the black cat said. "And this is Artemis."

"Wow," Yuli exclaimed. "You really can talk!"

"Yes, we can," Artemis replied. "The girls wouldn't lie about that." As Yuli continued talking excitedly with the two cats, and the trio disappeared into the kitchen, Mia turned towards Sailor Pluto.

"Sailor Pluto, why did you have Yuli leave," she asked, confused. "We still needed to talk to him about everything, and explain the situation to him."

"I have my reasons, Mia," Pluto began. "Yuli shouldn't be present when I tell you what I have to say. He should hear it from someone he knows well."

"This sounds serious," Rowen commented. "What happened?"

"Please, everyone, have a seat," Pluto said. She sighed wearily as everyone did as she asked. "About an hour ago, a terrible accident happened not too far from here. There were two casualties."

"That's horrible," Amy exclaimed. "But how do you know this, Sailor Pluto?"

"I . . . foresaw it before we arrived," she replied, gesturing towards Darien and herself. "But the reason I'm telling you this is because the people that died were Yuli's parents. In fact, they were on their way to pick him up." As an eerie silence filled the room, Pluto smiled sadly. "I suppose it should go without saying that Yuli will go with us."

"If you foresaw it, then why didn't you stop it from happening," Mia exclaimed forcefully. Pluto looked at her and shook her head.

"By the time I realized who they were, it was already too late," Pluto replied.

"Well you have the powers of time itself, don't you," Mia demanded angrily, raising her voice slightly. "Can't you do something about it, then? Turn back time and stop this from happening, for Yuli's sake!"

"Yes, I am the Guardian of Time, however there are some things that even I can not use my powers for," Pluto said. "And what you're suggesting is one of those things!"

"You can't do anything at all, Sailor Pluto," Sage asked hopefully. She sadly shook her head.

"What kind of Guardian are you that foresees something, yet does nothing to stop or prevent it," Mia asked angrily as she stood in front of the woman and glared at her. Sailor Pluto raised her hand and smacked Mia soundly across her face. As the brown-haired woman reeled back slightly, the others gasped in shock.

"Do _not_ question my integrity," Pluto said calmly. "The Laws of Chronos strictly forbids such actions as what you're asking me to do, Mia. If I could have saved Yuli's parents, then I would have."

"Mia," Yuli said in a small voice, stepping back into the room. "Mia is everything Sailor Pluto said true? Are my parents dead?" Mia shook her head slowly, and both she and Yuli began to cry.

"I'm so sorry, Yuli," Mia said as she comforted the young boy in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry this happened!"

As Darien watched the two with a solemn look on his face, he was remembering how it had felt when he learned his parents died. "Yuli," he began. "You know, I lost my parents in a car crash when I was your age. I know exactly how you feel."

"You do," Yuli asked, wiping away his tears.

"It's true, Yuli," Serena said gently. "It took Darien a long time to open up to me about his parents. You would really feel better if you talk to someone about what happened."

"Would you like to talk with me," Darien asked.

"Or you could talk with me, Yuli," Lita offered as she rested a hand on top of the boy's head. "I lost my parents when I was young, too."

"It might be better if he talks with Darien, Lita," Mia said. "You guys need to discuss a plan of action. We still don't know when Kite and Lotus will strike again."

"That's fine with me," Darien said. "But let's go talk somewhere else, so they can make their plans."

"Will you come too, Mia," Yuli asked.

"Of course I will, Yuli," she replied. Yuli allowed himself to be led away, and as the three passed Sailor Pluto, he stopped.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Sailor Pluto," Yuli said. "Even if what Mia said made you sad, I'm not mad at you." He gripped Mia's hand as she looked towards the ground guiltily.

"Thank you, Yuli," Sailor Pluto replied, giving him a small hug. "I see why Small Lady is so fond of you." He smiled sadly, and as he, Darien, and Mia left, Pluto turned towards the Ronins and Scouts.

"What do we do now, Sailor Pluto," Lita asked with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Gather around me, and I'll explain what we have to do," Pluto began.

*******

Rini was laying down in bed, thinking to herself. She was in Serena's room because she felt an urge to sleep in there instead of her own room. She sighed as she rolled over onto her side_. 'Why was Serena acting so strangely around Darien,'_ she thought to herself with a loud yawn. _'I was happy to see him, but she didn't seem like she was.'_ She yawned again, and then stretched slowly. "Why am I so tired," she wondered out loud, slightly annoyed.

Suddenly, the doors to the balcony flew open, and the cool wind of the night air gently blew into the room. Rini jumped at the sudden noise, however she relaxed once she realized it was only the balcony doors. "That was strange," she mumbled.

Rini climbed out the bed, and made her way to the balcony. She momentarily stared out at the view, and saw three figures walking towards the lake. She squinted her eyes to try and make out who they were, however they were too far away. She shrugged her shoulders, and then moved back into the room and shut the doors. As she turned around, a figure was standing behind her, and a hand clamped over her mouth as she was about to scream.

"Shh . . . Be quiet, Rini," the figure said in a deep, masculine voice. "If you promise not to scream, I'll remove my hand from your mouth." Rini nodded her head in silent agreement, and he slowly moved his hand. "There, that's much better," he said as his hands moved to her shoulders.

"W-who are you," she stammered. She tried to get away from him, however his grasp was firm.

"Surely you remember me, Rini," he retorted. He brushed aside a lock of his blonde hair, revealing a black, upside-down crescent moon, and locked his blue eyes onto her red ones.

"You're Lotus," she exclaimed.

"That's right, Rini," Lotus replied. "I'm glad you remember."

"What do you want from me," she asked as her eyes began to brim with tears.

"Now, now, none of that," he said, wiping away a stray tear that fell down her cheek. "I haven't come here to hurt you. I simply need your help."

"Then why does your partner always hurt me and my friends," she asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"You must mean Kite," he replied. "She has a different way of going about getting what she wants, that's all. She wouldn't intentionally hurt you, either."

"You're trying to trick me," Rini exclaimed. "You're a liar! You want to hurt me, too!" As she tried once again to get out of Lotus' grasp, an angry look flashed across his face.

"I would never lie you, Rini, ever," he exclaimed. He cupped her face in his hands, and smiled gently. "And I would never hurt you, Lotus Blossom." She gasped inwardly, and tears began to fill up her eyes again. "So, you truly know who I am now," he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "Only my . . . But why did you . . ."

"Rini," Lotus interrupted, releasing his hold on her, "will you come with me now? No harm will come to you." He moved back slightly, however she didn't move at all.

"How do I know who you really are," she asked. "How do I know you're not a fake? You look too different."

"Rini," he began, irritation creeping into his voice. "It's difficult to explain, but I am who you think I am." He studied her, and glanced towards her neck as the limited lighting caused the necklace she was wearing to sparkle. "You're wearing the necklace I gave you for your birthday, Rini." She met his eyes momentarily, and then walked over to the balcony doors, followed closely by Lotus.

"Oh," she said absently, gazing to the ground below. "It was Yuli, Mia, and Darien that left earlier. They're back now, and Lady Kayura is with them." Lotus narrowed his eyes, and made sure he stayed in the shadows.

_'My time is running out,'_ he thought to himself as he watched the small girl. _'If my Master's prophecy was right, then Kayura is here to help the Ronins . . . the traitor.'_ He shook his head, and stared down at Rini. "If you will not go willingly, then I will take you, Rini," he told her. "What is your decision?"

__

To Be Continued . . .


	11. This Time Around, Chapter 11

TTA11 ****

I do not own any of the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic. This is for entertainment purposes only, so enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 11

Sailor Pluto looked at each Ronin and Scout, searching their faces for any trace of understanding. She had just explained what would happen during the merging of their worlds, and what role each Ronin would play as the newest members of the team. She rubbed her temples wearily. It was going to be an even longer night that it had already been. _'They have to understand what I'm talking about,'_ she thought, annoyed. _'I explained it as simply as I could!'_

"Sailor Pluto, the process sounds easy enough," Serena said as Pluto's gaze rested on her. Serena blushed slightly as she glanced over at Kento, and looked away quickly as he silently returned her gaze.

"But," Pluto prompted.

"Um . . . nothing," Serena replied.

"It won't be that bad, Serena," Mina said as Rowen wrapped an arm around her waist. "It's going to be a nice twist of fate, for once!"

_'That's easy for you to say,'_ Serena thought inwardly as she smiled weakly. _'You're not the one torn between two guys. I just wish I didn't have to hurt either one of them.'_ Her thoughts were interrupted as Darien, Mia, and Yuli, followed by Lady Kayura, entered the house.

"Lady Kayura, welcome back. I suppose your appearance means you're ready," Pluto greeted. "But where are Kale, Dais, and Sekhmet?"

"There's no time to explain any of that, Sailor Pluto," Kayura said apologetically. "If we are to merge, we must act now."

"Now," Serena exclaimed. "But why are we doing it tonight? I thought we were going to wait until morning."

"Princess, please," Kayura said. "There's no time to explain, I'm afraid." She paused and looked towards the Guardian of Time. "Sailor Pluto, the problem we discussed is upon us. If we do not act now, then the enemy will be much stronger."

Pluto nodded her head, immediately understanding the severity of the situation. "Princess, we must merge the worlds now. Tonight."

"Oh no, no you don't," Serena exclaimed, glancing from Pluto to Kayura, and back again in disbelief. "You won't have these secrets, not this time! Now you tell me what you're talking about!"

"Serena," Lita began. However, she grew quiet as Serena gave her a look.

"Please Sailor Pluto, Lady Kayura," Serena begged. "Tell us what's going on." The two older women looked at each other, and Kayura finally relented.

"Alright, Princess, I'll tell you," Kayura said. "But I can not get into too much detail." As Serena nodded her head with a grateful smile on her face, Kayura raised the Ancient's staff and an image of Kite and Lotus appeared. "As you're all aware of, Kite and Lotus are from the Black Moon Dynasty."

"Yeah, we know all that already," Rei commented. "So why is it so important for us to merge so quickly?"

"I'm getting to that," Kayura replied. The rings of the staff chimed together, and another image replaced the previous one.

"No way," Kento exclaimed angrily, slamming his fist into the tabletop. "Isn't that Talpa's castle? I thought it was destroyed!"

"It was, Hardrock, but this is where the ones we fight now seek refuge," Kayura replied. "That is why we must merge now. They reside in the Nether Realm, and if we merge now, there is a much lesser chance they'll be able to dimension-hop again."

"But why would they use Talpa's castle as their base," Rowen asked. "That's the most obvious choice!"

"And what do they have to do with the Nether Realm if they are originally from our future," Amy asked.

"They seemed to have aligned themselves with a remaining evil force from the Nether Realm," Kayura stated. "At least that is what I have concluded from my meditation. Though the Ronins destroyed Talpa and his Dynasty, a few of his loyal subjects must still remain."

"But why are they after Rini," Serena asked. "She's only a kid!"

"Time grows short, Princess," Kayura replied. "I can feel them becoming stronger as we speak. Please, merge now, and then we can at least be reassured that fighting them will be much simpler."

"We'll do it now, then," Serena said, after looking at everyone for approval.

"You have made the right choice, Princess," Pluto said.

"What should we do," Mia asked, gesturing towards Yuli, Darien, and herself.

"The three of you can just sit on the couch and watch," Kayura replied. She then turned back towards the warriors. "Girls, you know what you need to do."

Serena nodded her head, and turned to the other Scouts. "Alright, girls," she said. "Sailor Scouts, transform!" Once the Sailor Scouts stood together, ready to perform the ceremony, Sailor Pluto stepped forward.

"Get into your places," she said in an even tone. The Scouts and Ronins stood in two lines facing each other; the Scouts on one side, and the Ronins on the other. Serena stood across from Kento, Lita stood across from Sage, Amy stood across from Sai, Mina stood across from Rowen, and Rei stood across from Ryo. Finally, Sailor Pluto and Lady Kayura took their places at either end of the lines.

"Are you ready," Kayura asked. Everyone nodded their head, and Sailor Pluto held her time staff out in front of her.

"I call upon you, the almighty God of Time, Chronos," Pluto chanted. "Split the heavenly sky and open for us the door of time!" They all looked up towards the roof, and a portal opened up above them. "Now, say your incantations, warriors," Pluto instructed, turning towards Rei and Ryo, who stood next to her.

"By the fire of Mars, I add my power onto yours, Ryo of Wildfire," Rei said as the symbol of Mars shined brightly on her forehead.

"I accept that power, and add my power onto yours, Princess Rei, Sailor Mars," Ryo said as the kanji of virtue appeared on his forehead. Rei began to glow a red hue, and they stepped closer to each other, touching their foreheads together. As the symbols upon their foreheads touched, the red glow left Rei, and surrounded Ryo. Suddenly, his armor began to appear on him piece by piece, and fire seemed to surround his body. The fire faded away as he was fully suited. His armor appeared the same, however it radiated with the new power it possessed, and the symbol of Mars burned on both of his gauntlets.

"Wow," Rei breathed. "That's amazing! I can sense my power within him!" She gasped as the glow from Ryo's gauntlets left and rose towards her neck. "What's going on," she asked, alarmed.

"It's just another process of the merge, Sailor Mars," Kayura replied as the glow settled on Mars' choker. "Please continue, Sailor Venus."

"Alright," Mina replied. "By the beauty and love that is Planet Venus, I add my power onto yours, Rowen of Strata."

"I accept that power, and add my power onto yours, Princess Mina, Sailor Venus," Rowen stated. As the two repeated the process, Mina smiled as her symbol glowed on Rowen's gauntlets, and watched as the dark blue glow returned to her choker.

"By the waters of Mercury, I add my power onto yours, Sai of Torrent," Amy continued, taking her turn next.

"I accept that power, and add my power onto yours, Princess Amy, Sailor Mercury," Sai said. Both blushed slightly as they repeated the process, and a light blue glow settled on his gauntlets to form her planet's symbol. Amy brought her hand up to her throat as she felt the power of Sai's armor lying dormant there.

"By the electricity of Jupiter, I add my power onto yours, Sage of Halo," Lita said.

"I accept that power, and add my power onto yours, Princess Lita, Sailor Jupiter," Sage added. "It looks like we get the chance to get to know each other better, after all," he whispered as the two touched their foreheads together. Lita smiled as she realized what he was talking about.

"I remember you saying you wish we could," she whispered back. "Now we can." The two stepped apart, and the green glow of their powers settled on her choker.

Serena brought a hand up to her forehead and brushed her fingers past the crescent moon that was there. She looked into Kento's eyes, and then smiled. "By the light and serenity of the Moon, I add my power onto yours, Kento of Hardrock," she stated.

"I accept that power, and add my power onto yours, Princess Serenity, Sailor Moon," Kento replied, smiling back at her. A silvery-white light surrounded the two as their foreheads touched, and Kento's armor appeared on him. A crescent moon settled on each of his gauntlets, and then the glow returned to Serena's choker. Serena intertwined her hands with Kento's and the others followed suit.

"Together, the Sailor Scouts and the Ronin Warriors will work to protect the universe from evil," Serena exclaimed as she raised their hands into the air.

Lady Kayura held the Ancient's staff in front of her, and allowed it to float there on its' own. She brought her hands together, as if she were praying. "I beseech you, Great Nether Spirits and Ancient Advisors past, bestow upon the Sailor Scouts your power, protection, and guidance," Kayura said. The kanji upon the foreheads of the Ronins began to glow, as did the chokers around each of the girls' necks. As the glowing stopped, a mark resembling the kanji of each Ronin, remained on the chokers.

"Then it is done," Pluto chanted. "I hereby declare that two worlds have become one!"

"Together, they swear to protect and serve the White Moon Kingdom," Kayura added.

"Do you accept this condition," Pluto asked the warriors.

The ten warriors linked hands, and then nodded their heads. "We accept. Let the worlds be merged," they replied in unison.

"Now, make your wish, Princess," Kayura said. Serena thought about it for a split second, and then smiled as she silently made her wish.

"I'm done," she said when she was done.

Pluto slammed her staff into the ground. "Then let these pairings be forever linked," she said.

"And it will be done, as these warriors fight side by side," Kayura continued. "Two have become one!" As she slammed her staff into the ground, a blinding light surrounded the room and engulfed the house.

__

****AN -** About the wish thing, remember how in the SM S Movie, Serena was able to make a wish to turn Luna human for a day? Well, the situation is similar here, and she's able to make a wish.**

*******

Kite opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was wearing a ceremonial kimono, and her long, dark hair was loose around her shoulders, and rested on the floor. She sat kneeling on a pillow, and she was surrounded by dozens of lit candles, forming a circle around her. She looked up as a door slid open, and a man wearing similar clothing entered the room. He knelt down on the pillow opposite of her, and placed a worn, ancient-looking book in front of him.

"My Lord," Kite began, still slightly dazed, "what's going on? Why do you have the Book of the Ancient Realm? I thought that book was forbidden to use here."

"You must understand something, Kite," he began as he flipped through the worn pages of the book. "I need that crystal from the girl to return to my former glory. Only then can I truly take this world, and others." He looked up at Kite briefly, and then returned to the book. _'Besides, I'm losing my hold over you,'_ he added silently. _'My magic just isn't strong enough.'_

"Is there possibly another way to perform this ceremony, without harming Small Lady," Kite asked warily as the Emperor seemed to find the page he was looking for. Kite frowned momentarily. _'Small Lady,'_ she thought to herself. _'Where did that come from?'_ She shook her head and then cleared her throat. "Master, I won't hurt her of my own free will," she told him in a shaky voice.

The Emperor closed his eyes, and a dish with some sort of dark liquid in it appeared in front of him. He dipped his finger into the contents of the dish, and then leaned towards Kite and drew the sign of loyalty on her forehead. Her eyes became glossed over, and he smiled triumphantly. "This will only be temporary, but once I have my full powers back, I won't have to worry about your disloyalty," he said.

"Yes, Master," Kite replied in a monotone voice. As the Emperor began to read from the book, the symbol upon her forehead began to glow a bright shade of red and a being with an unidentifiable form floated above Kite's head. As the Emperor finished his incantation, the being entered her body and the symbol on her forehead faded. As she continued to stare blankly ahead of her, a lone tear trailed down her cheek.

"Now, Kite, none of that," Emperor said, breathing heavily from the ritual he had just performed. He wiped the sweat off of his brow and then closed his book. "Once I have my full powers back, there will be no more need for such ceremonies. And when the time is right, I will make you my queen."

"Of course, Master," she said, bowing to him. "I look forward to the day I become your Queen. It would please me, if you can forgive my insolent behavior from before."

"You may rise, Kite," he replied, pleased. "Now go prepare for Lotus' return." She rose and then, with a nod of her head, she disappeared. "It's only a matter of time, now, Small Lady. That great power you possess will soon be mine."

*******

The Ronins and Scouts opened their eyes, and saw that they were back in their regular clothing. They looked around the house, however, and everything appeared to be the same. When they looked out the window, that's when they noticed a difference. Instead of seeing trees surrounding their house, a driveway leading towards a fairly busy street was there. Though the house was still somewhat secluded, they were definitely not in the same place.

"Why this . . . We're on the outskirts of the Juuban District," Lita exclaimed.

"That means it worked! We did it," Rowen replied. He picked Mina up and spun her around in a circle. She laughed happily, and the others erupted into conversation. Sailor Pluto took a step towards them, and cleared her throat.

"There will be plenty of time to celebrate later," she said. "We still have some things to discuss." The warriors settled down, and found a seat. "As I have promised, I will fully explain everything now."

"Sailor Pluto," Luna asked, uncertain of what she meant.

"Everything, Luna," Sailor Pluto said. "First of all, I'm sure you'd all like to know what the rest of that prophecy meant."

"It's been bothering me for a long time," Mia said. "Do you really know what it means?"

"Yes," Pluto replied. "_When the Ancient Evil comes for the child with the sacred jewel within, two must become one. The power of maternal love will bring forth the power to vanquish the dark_."

"_The power of maternal love will bring forth the power to vanquish the dark_," Amy repeated. "Well what does that mean to any of us? It doesn't make sense."

"Actually, when I was dreaming, my mother came to me," Serena said. "She told me that she would watch over me, and that she would always be with me in spirit. Is that what it means, Sailor Pluto?"

"Something like that, yes," Pluto replied. "Though the power the prophecy speaks of will come to you, Princess."

"But that still doesn't make much sense, Sailor Pluto," Amy said. "The prophecy speaks of maternal love, and that means the love of a mother."

"Something is going to happen soon, and that will cause our Princess great grief," Pluto said. "And when that happens, she will receive her new powers."

"Well, I won't let anything happen to Serena," Darien stated. "The Scouts and I have sworn to protect her."

"We will, too," Kento added, looking at Darien pointedly. "Like it or not, we are a part of the team now, too. And now that Serena and I share a bond, I'm more determined not to let anything happen to her."

"This newly formed bond you two may share doesn't compare to the bond me and Serena have shared in the past, and still share now," Darien retorted. He pulled Serena towards him protectively, and she pushed him away.

"Will you stop Darien," she exclaimed. "Both of you! None of us understand the prophecy, and I know I don't especially. And the two of you fighting is just making it worse!" She turned towards Pluto. "So what does this really have to do with me?"

"As you may have guessed already, the child the prophecy is talking about is Rini," Pluto began.

"That's what she said to me," Yuli exclaimed. Everyone turned towards him. "Earlier, when you guys were talking, that's what me and Rini were talking about. She said Kite was after some jewel she said Rini had."

"That's right, Yuli," Kayura said with a smile. "And the second half is speaking of the grief her mother will go through in order to acquire a new power."

"Princess Serenity, Small Lady is your daughter in the future," Pluto said gently. "She was sent here to find you, so that she could help your future self overcome something terrible that has happened in her own time."

Serena's eyes grew wide, and she staggered towards the couch and sat down. She was too shocked to speak. "Rini . . . She's my daughter," she asked in a barely audible voice.

"That's right, Princess," Pluto replied.

"So, the Jewel of the Royal Family she was talking about . . . She needed the Silver Emperial Crystal from me? Why didn't you tell me," Serena demanded, looking at Sailor Pluto accusingly. "_Why didn't you tell me!_"

"You have to understand something, Princess Serenity," Kayura said. "Pluto couldn't tell you. She didn't even want to tell me, but she had already foreseen that our two worlds would merge."

"You knew, too," Serena asked incredulously. She put her head in her hands, slowly shaking her head. Then, she looked towards her foot as something rolled over it. "Luna-P?" She picked up Rini's toy, and detached the note that was there. As she skimmed over it, she stood up quickly, and ran up the stairs, dropping the note in the process.

"What in the world," Mina asked. She picked up the note, quickly reading it, and she gasped. "Oh no! You guys, Lotus took Rini!" Everyone gathered around Mina to see what she was talking about.

"I was afraid this was going to happen," Pluto mumbled as Serena came bounding down the stairs.

"She really is gone," Serena said hysterically. "Sailor Pluto, you've got to take us to her! Please, I've got to help Rini."

"Settle down, Princess," Pluto said, shaking her slightly. "Small Lady will be alright! Nothing bad will happen to her."

"You don't know that," Serena exclaimed, shaking her head. "You don't know that! How can you even say that?" She finally allowed herself to cry, and Sailor Pluto comforted her. Pluto seemed to be considering something, and she sighed wearily.

"I do know, Princess," Pluto said quietly. She cleared her throat, and forced Serena to look her in the eyes. "Lotus would never bring harm to his little sister." As everyone gasped in shock, Serena fainted.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	12. This Time Around, Chapter 12

TTA12 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in the fanfic, however, the idea is mine. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 12

Serena felt herself floating in the air. She had once again become the Moon Princess. There was no support underneath her, and yet she was not falling. A thick fog surrounded her, causing everything to appear the same. She gasped as the scenery around her began to change, and she found herself once again in Queen Serenity's garden. Directly in front of her, a figure sat on a bench in the gazebo, shrouded by shadows. "Mother," she called out hesitantly. The figure stood, its' outline obviously being that of a man. As he stepped into the light of the moon, Serena felt herself smile.

_"No, I'm not Queen Serenity, Princess,"_ he spoke, pushing his cape off of his shoulder. _"Though it seems you're just as happy to see me."_

"Prince Darien, of course I'm glad to see you," Serena exclaimed, closing in on the inches that separated them. "But what are you doing here, in my Mother's garden?"

Prince Darien took Serena in his arms, and as he tilted her face towards his, he kissed her gently. _"I just had to see you on a beautiful night like this,"_ he said as they broke apart, softly caressing her face. _"I have a bad feeling something awful is about to happen."_

"Oh, I understand, now," Serena replied, resting her head against his chest. "This is just a dream."

_"It's more than that, Serenity,"_ Prince Darien said. _"It's about destiny. Our destiny, and how it's changing. Don't you feel it?"_ She slowly shook her head, staring at him with questioning eyes. _"But not to worry. Your happiness is all that really matters to me."_

"But ... I'm confused," she stated, staring up at him with shining eyes. "I've always wanted for things to be different, but not this way. Not like this. It's all so sudden! I don't want anyone to be hurt."

_"Serenity, just follow your heart,"_ Prince Darien began. _"Make decisions based on what makes you happy."_ Serena reached up and placed a hand gently against his face.

"You do know that I love you." It was more of a statement. "I don't think I'll ever stop," she said softly.

_"I know, Serenity,"_ he replied. _"I could never stop loving you, either."_ He reached up towards his neck and unclasped a necklace that had been there. _"Serenity, I want you to have this necklace - to remember me by. To remember that I will always be there for you to protect you, until I take my very last breath."_

She stared at the necklace, and felt tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said in almost a whisper, the tears threatening to spill over.

_"Don't be, Serenity,"_ Prince Darien said. _"Don't ever regret anything you do when you feel you have made the right decision. And you will make the right decision."_

He clasped the necklace around her neck. It was different than she had remembered it being. Instead of a tiny music box that reminded the two of the love they had shared, there was a charm of a star and crescent moon wielded together - representing the deep friendship they had, and would always have.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. She stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him briefly. As she did so, the scenery around them changed again, and fog surrounded them. They broke apart, and Prince Darien gently pushed Serena towards a break in the fog that had appeared.

_"Now go, Serenity,"_ he said. _"And never forget my words."_ She smiled at him, and then walked away, disappearing among the fog ...

*******

Serena opened her eyes to find that she was in the arms of someone. She looked up, and saw that Darien was asleep. "Darien," she said, gently shaking him. "Darien, wake up." He frowned slightly, and then opened his eyes.

"Oh, Serena, you're awake," he said in a groggy voice. "I must have dozed off. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, stretching a bit. "Just a little shocked, still. Did you bring me up here," she asked, putting a little distance in between them.

"Yeah, right after you fainted," he replied. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes, Darien, I am. It's not every day that I find out I have two kids in the future, and that I've already met them," she replied with a shy smile. "Here, feel my forehead if you don't believe me." As she leaned towards him to grab his hand, a necklace fell out from behind her shirt and glinted in the light. A gasp caught in Darien's throat, and Serena looked at him. "Darien, what's wrong?"

"That necklace," he said. "I guess it's all coming true. I had a dream about that necklace."

"What was it about," she asked, confused at what he meant. _'Did I get this from my dream,'_ she asked herself, grasping the necklace in her hand.

"A voice came to me and told me something," he replied. "It said ..." He shook his head, and then looked at Serena dead in the eyes. "Serena, how do you feel about me?"

The question caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered. "I love you, of course," she said without hesitation.

"And how do you feel about Kento," he asked softly.

"Darien," she said, sounding almost like a whine. She searched her thoughts, trying to sort out how she really felt about him. She gave herself a mental shake, and then looked at Darien. "I ... I think I'm falling in love with him, if I'm not in love already." She lowered her head. "I've felt something for him for a long time. Ever since the Ronins came to our world." She looked up and studied his face. "And when he left, I once again gave you my full attention. It was even more important for me to find a cure for your amnesia. I wanted someone to care about me again."

"Someone will always care about you, Serena," he said kindly. "I had a dream weeks ago, before you and the girls came here. In it the voice told me that our destiny would be changing, and that change would commence when you received a necklace. The necklace the voice described matches exactly to the one you're wearing right now."

"Your dreams have always torn us apart, Darien," Serena exclaimed in an angry voice that surprised them both. "Why do these dreams always come to you, instead of to me?"

"My dreams have always been significant, and I think it's for the best this time, Serena," he replied. "I've felt a distance growing between us ever since I got over my amnesia. I think that ..."

"I'm sorry, Darien," she interrupted. "I can change. Just please, don't let this happen again!"

"Serena," Darien said with a sigh. "You have nothing to apologize for. In the short time I've been here, I've noticed a different side to you. Being here with the others, and with Kento, has made you happier. I can tell. And now that he and the others are a part of our world, this change is for the best. You've always been a cheerful person, but I'm not seeing that cheerfulness in you right now."

"The girls have seemed to be a little happier," she admitted. "And I guess that I have been, too." She looked away from him, staring out her balcony doors towards the moon.

Darien smiled, happy that he was finally getting through to her. "You know, your happiness is all that really matters to me," he said. Serena's head snapped back towards him, a shocked look on her face.

"What did you just say," she whispered.

"I said that your happiness is all that really matters to me," he repeated.

"Darien, that's exactly what you said to me in my dream," she exclaimed, hugging him tightly. She pulled away from him, and he looked at her strangely. "Well, not you, but your past self. Prince Darien came to me, and gave me this necklace. He said that he would always be here for me..."

"Until the very last breath he takes," Darien finished, shocking Serena. "Prince Darien was the voice from my dream, Serena. He told me to ask you if you have made the right decision ... Have you?"

Serena slowly shook her head. "Yes, Darien, I think I have," she replied.

Darien gave her a knowing smile, and then nodded his head in understanding. "Then let's go save Lotus and Rini. All of us, as a team."

*******

After Serena had fainted, and Darien had taken her upstairs, everyone had remained silent, lost in their own thoughts. They were all as shocked as Serena had been, and didn't quite know what to say. As Sailor Pluto and Lady Kayura talked quietly between themselves, Rei threw her arms up into the air in frustration.

"I can't stand this silence anymore," she exclaimed. "We have to do something, to save Rini!" Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"I've been thinking the situation over," Rowen said. "Sailor Pluto, how can Lotus be so old? He looks like he's about 20 years old! Granted, he is from the future, but there would have had to been a very long time in between his birth, and Rini's birth."

Sailor Pluto looked towards the stairs as she saw someone from the corner of her eye. She gave a small smile as Serena and Darien silently took a seat at the bottom of the stairs, unnoticed by everyone except for Lady Kayura and herself. "Princess, why don't you come join us," Pluto said to Serena.

"Hi, guys," she said, standing from her seat on the stairs, and joining Kento on the couch. All eyes were on her instantly, however before everyone could bombard her with questions, Sailor Pluto cleared her throat. As everyone's gaze shifted back towards her, Serena grabbed Kento's hand and gave it a squeeze. He looked at her questioningly, but she only smiled at him, and then looked back towards Pluto.

"You asked why Lotus is so much older than Rini, but the answer is a difficult one," Pluto began. "In the future, each of the Princesses from the Planets of the Inner Solar System and the Moon are to bear a child that will succeed to the throne. That child was supposed to be a girl, and it was so in the cases of Princesses Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. However, in your case Princess Serenity, you are to have a boy - Lotus."

"Each of us have a daughter," Mina asked with wide eyes.

"Yes," Pluto replied. "And five years later, you each bear a son, except for you, Princess. The child you bear is your daughter - Rini."

"Wow," Lita exclaimed. "We all have children in the future!" Pluto nodded, and gave a small smile.

"That still doesn't explain why Lotus appears so much older than Rini," Rowen said thoughtfully.

"What happened that turned my… I mean, Lotus evil," Serena asked, at the same time Rowen spoke.

"In order to answer your question, Rowen, I must answer Princess Serenity's first," Pluto replied. "It is an unwritten law that the first daughter born to the royal families of the solar system succeed their mother to the throne of that planet."

"But why must a girl be successor to the throne," Rei asked.

"Because only the genetic make up of a female can fully utilize the powers of her planet," Pluto replied. "That's the best way to put it simply." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "At the age of five, the commencement of the successor's training begins," she continued. "Lotus was too young to understand why he wasn't receiving the same training as the other children. However, when Small Lady Serenity was born, and Neo Queen Serenity announced that her daughter would become successor to the throne, Lotus began to withdraw from everyone except for his best friend. Then, on the night of Small Lady's fourth birthday, he disappeared."

"I'm beginning to understand, now," Darien said as he leaned against the wall. "He must have been feeling left out and under-appreciated."

"That's correct, Prince Darien," Pluto replied. "One year later, on the eve of Small Lady's fifth birthday, an evil force attacked the Crystal Palace. A man shrouded by the dark appeared, and an evil different from that of the Negaverse radiated from him. He wasted no time finding Neo Queen Serenity. Once he located her, a small boy appeared, bearing the symbol of the Royal Family."

"And it was Lotus," Serena asked. Pluto nodded her head.

"As I was about to intervene, Small Lady appeared before me," Pluto continued. "So, I was forced to allow the situation to continue. Before her very eyes, the mysterious figure turned Prince Lotus against his own mother. He began to glow with black energy and as it erupted from him, a full-grown man stood before Neo Queen Serenity. She could only cry as the only resemblance of her son, his royal symbol, was replaced by the black, upside-down crescent moon."

"So, Lotus was brainwashed," Mia asked. "It makes sense now. The figure needed the Silver Emperial Crystal for his own purposes, so what better way than to use a member of the Royal Family."

"You must find Small Lady, and get back the Silver Emperial Crystal," Pluto stated. "She doesn't know it, but it has merged with her temporarily. That is what the enemy is after."

"The only problem is to find out who he is," Kayura said, speaking for the first time. "The only thing we have to go by, is that he's from the Nether Realm."

"But how did this enemy even know about the Silver Emperial Crystal," Sai asked.

"That's a good question, Sai," Kayura said. "And one that I'm afraid I don't have the answer to. We must find our way to the remains of the Dynasty castle, and discover his identity to uncover the answers."

"Then perhaps you should start there," a deep male voice stated. White Blaze, who had been lying near Ryo, immediately uttered a low growl. Serena quickly got up, and knelt down next to the tiger.

"It's all right, White Blaze," she said, resting a hand on his head. "He's a friend." Her words seemed to appease the tiger, because he remained quiet. Serena walked towards the figure and spoke. "So you finally came."

To the surprise of everyone, the man knelt down before her on one knee. He was a very tall man, and he wore a black hooded cloak, hiding his features from sight. "It is you who has wished me back," he stated. "I am forever in your debt, Princess Serenity, future queen of the White Moon Kingdom."

"Please, don't you start, too," Serena exclaimed with a laugh.

Lady Kayura studied the man, and a small smile momentarily graced her lips. "How do you propose we get there," she asked the cloaked figure. "All the gates leading to the remains of the Dynasty castle have been destroyed."

"All but one, Lady Kayura," he replied. "Deep in the Forest of the Spirits, within the Nether Realm, lies a hidden gate."

As the man spoke, the same thought ran throughout the minds of the Ronins, Mia, and Yuli. However, Yuli was the first to ask. "Just who are you, Mister," he asked, hiding slightly behind Mia.

"Do we know you," Ryo asked. "You do sound familiar."

The man walked over to Yuli, and knelt down next to him. "You have nothing to fear from me, boy," the man said. He pulled back the hood of his cloak, and long, reddish-brown hair fell against his face, surprising the young boy. The man stood up, and looked at Mia

"Oh my God," Mia gasped. "How is this possible! A-Anubis, is that really you?" She ran her fingers through his silky hair, and then rested a hand against his face. "Are you really alive?" As a tear rolled down her cheek, Anubis gently brushed it away with his thumb. More tears welled up in her eyes, and she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace, sobbing quietly.

"Yes, I really am alive, Mia," he said. He spoke softly into her hair, as he returned her embrace. He kissed the top of her head as her sobbing subsided. "Princess Serenity used her wish to wish me back." He looked towards Serena and smiled. "If there is ever anything I can do in return ..."

"Don't worry about it, Anubis," Serena said, waving her hand as if she were dismissing the idea. "Just seeing Mia happy is enough for me!" Mia walked over to Serena, and gave her a hug.

"Thank you so much, Serena," Mia said, wiping at her eyes. "You're such a kind person. Nothing bad should ever happen to people like you." Serena smiled in return and then looked towards Sailor Pluto as she stood up from her spot.

"Sailor Pluto, where are you going," she asked.

"I must go now, Princess. I have done all that I can do," Sailor Pluto replied. "Ronin Warriors, search within for the strength of your newfound powers. That strength will come to you when the time is right."

"Thank you, Sailor Pluto," Ryo said. "We will rescue Princess Rini, and we'll find a way to free Prince Lotus."

Pluto smiled, and then looked towards Kayura. "I trust you will lead them to the Nether Realm, Lady Kayura," she stated.

"I will guide them safely," came her reply.

"Then I have nothing to worry about," Pluto stated. "Warriors, use your best judgement when you battle Kite again. She is more important than you may think. I bid you farewell." In a flash of light, Sailor Pluto was gone.

As a silence filled the room, Kento cracked his knuckles. "Who's up for a fight," he exclaimed. "Let's go get Rini and Lotus!" His excitement passed on to the others, and Serena nodded.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she replied. "Sailor Scouts, transform!"

"Ronin Warriors, to arms," Ryo echoed. As the ten warriors finished their transformations, Lady Kayura stepped forward.

"From here on, it will only become more difficult," she said. "The identity of the leader is still unknown, and we do not know how great his power is. Do not be fooled."

"We'll be able to defeat whatever they throw at us," Sage said confidently as the sign of Jupiter glowed brightly on his gauntlets.

Lady Kayura allowed the Ancient's staff to float in the air, and a white column of light glowed upward. "Then if you are ready, step in this light," she said. Sailor Mars went first and as Ryo was about to go he stopped and turned towards his tiger.

"I want you to stay here, boy," he hold White Blaze. "Protect the house." His pet sat down, silently obeying his master. As Ryo stepped through, the other Scouts and Ronins stepped into the light and disappeared. As Sailor Moon was about to go, Darien reached out and grabbed her arm gently.

"Be careful, alright," he said, softly. "I think it will be best if I stay here, and help protect the house."

"I promise I will be careful, Darien," she said, squeezing his hand. He let go of her, and she disappeared into the light. Kento and Darien stared at each other silently as an unspoken message passed between them. Kento gave a firm nod, and then turned to Yuli.

"Don't worry, kiddo," he said, placing a hand on Yuli's head. "We'll bring Rini back safe and sound." Yuli's face beamed with a smile, and then Kento stepped through into the light. Kayura grabbed her staff afterwards, and then turned towards Anubis, Mia, Darien, and Yuli.

"The Jewel of Life shall help protect this house," she stated. "As long as it is in your possession, no harm will befall you."

"Please tell everyone to be careful, Lady Kayura," Yuli said.

"I promise I will Yuli," she replied.

"Lady Kayura, the forest may be full of danger," Anubis warned. "It is the path Lotus has chosen to go. Guide the warriors with your wisdom."

"Of course," Kayura said. "It's good to have you back, Anubis. The others send their regards, I'm sure." Anubis cracked a smile as Kayura disappeared, leaving behind only the sound of the chimes from the staff's golden rings.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	13. This Time Around, Chapter 13

TTA13 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in the fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea is mine, however. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 13

Trees. All around her were trees as far as the eye could see, and from her viewpoint, their end was limitless. It wasn't the trees themselves, however, that frightened Rini - usually, she loved nature. The forest she was in now was nothing like the vast, beautiful wood she and Yuli often played in behind Mia's house. The trees surrounding her were dead. Their branches hung down lifelessly, and their trunks were angled in odd positions. Another thing she noticed was that there were no birds chirping in the trees, or any other sign of life, for that matter. She shivered as a still wind blew through the lifeless forest.

"Lotus," she began. "Where are we? Where are we going?"

Lotus looked down at Rini. She looked up at him expectantly, however he kept his features emotionless. "We're in the Forest of the Spirits," he replied. "I'm taking you to my Master, and this is the only way we can get there undetected."

"Brother, why are you so much older than me now," she asked. "What happened to you, and why did you leave home?"

"That's none of your concern," he replied coldly. "My Master will soon make things the way they should have always been soon enough. And you're the key to it all."

"But why do you need me," she asked. "Why am I so important?" When he made no attempt to reply, she stopped walking. "I'm not going anywhere until you answer me!"

Lotus turned around angrily. "Now you listen to me, you little brat," he growled. "I do not have to answer any of your questions!" He smiled triumphantly as tears began to well up in Rini's eyes.

"You're not my brother," she whispered in a hurt tone. "My brother would never say such mean things to me."

"I am your brother, and you know it," he replied. "How else would I have known about your necklace?" He looked at her and snorted. "You probably don't even remember when I gave it to you."

"Yes, I do, Lotus," she exclaimed. "You gave this to me on my fourth birthday, before you disappeared, and you told me to always remember you by it."

"You do remember," he said quietly.

"I believe you now, Lotus, but why are you being so mean to me," she asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

Lotus balled his fists at his side, trying to calm himself down. "You never realized what pain you caused me, did you Small Lady," he asked. His voice wavered as he spoke. "Mother, Father, and I were happy together, and then you were born. I was overjoyed at first. I was happy that I had a little sister, but then, when our Mother announced that you would be heir to the throne, everything changed. Suddenly, you were the most important child, and we were no longer equals. Everyone shunned me, and showered all their attention on you."

"Lotus, I didn't know," Rini cried. "If you want, you can be the heir to the throne."

"It doesn't work like that," he replied. "But if you really want to help me, give me Mother's crystal. I know you possess it now, even as we speak. Do this for me, Lotus Blossom, and we can be a happy family again. Isn't that what you want?"

"I do, Lotus, more than anything," she exclaimed as he knelt down beside her. "But I ..." She allowed her voice to trail off. She looked into his eyes and for the first time, she saw her brother looking back at her. "I'll try to give the crystal to you, Lotus. I'll try my best," she said.

Lotus gave her a hug, and Rini happily reciprocated it back. "You must really think I'm being selfish right now," he stated. "I don't really want the crystal for myself. My Master needs it. He was the one that listened to me when no one else would. He said that if I brought him the crystal, he would be able to give me back the one thing I wanted the most."

"What's that," Rini asked.

Lotus smiled at her for the first time. "My family," he replied. His body suddenly tensed as if he sensed something. He looked back in the direction he had come from, and narrowed his eyes. "We must keep moving, Rini." He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, soldiers seemed to materialize from the ground. They bowed down at his feet, and he grasped Rini's hand. "Keep the intruders from the gate," he told the soldiers, his voice once again cold. The soldiers stood, and wordlessly disappeared.

"Lotus," Rini said uncertainly.

"We must keep going," he said, pulling her along behind him. "The Gate is not too far from here."

******

Dais, Sekhmet, and Kale stood in front of the Shrine of the Ancient Clan, waiting patiently for Lady Kayura to return. Each man had become a guardian to the shrine, much as Lady Kayura had done.

"How do you suppose things are going down there," Dais asked no one in particular.

"I don't know, Dais," Kale replied. He looked down at the Earth and sighed. "I can't believe that not too long ago, we were the ones trying to destroy life. How is it that we turned so evil?"

"The same way as Lotus and Kite, I suppose," Sekhmet offered. "Only we weren't corrupted as children. I hope the Ronins and Scouts are able to help them out."

"Let us not dwell on the past," Dais said. The trio looked forward as a column of light appeared.

"Speaking of the devil," Kale stated with a smirk. One by one, the Ronins and Scouts appeared in front of them, followed by Lady Kayura. "So, you're finally going to go and get our armor back for us. It took you long enough to convince them, Lady Kayura."

She smiled good-naturedly. "Anubis sends his regards," she told the trio.

"Anubis is alive," Dais asked incredulously. Kayura shook her head.

"I knew the little runt would find a way to survive," Sekhmet boasted. "So, when will he be here to join us?"

"Most likely, Anubis won't be joining us, Sekhmet. That conversation will have to wait, however," she replied. "Right now, the warriors must find Rini. Lotus has kidnapped her."

"That means the crystal will soon be in their hands," Dais said. "This is not good at all. How will they get to the Dynasty headquarters?"

"There's still one gate open, hidden away in the Forest of the Spirits," Kayura answered. "Dais, guide them to the forest. The rest will be up to them."

"I understand, Lady Kayura," Dais said. He turned to the Ronins and Scouts. "I will lead you as far as the opening. Then, you must proceed without my guidance." He turned to leave, and the ten warriors quickly followed him.

"Warriors," Lady Kayura called out, causing them to stop. "Yuli asked me to tell you to be careful, so for his sake, do not underestimate any situation." Each warrior nodded their head, and then followed Dais. Several minutes passed, and the group finally came to the opening of the forest.

"Is this it," Sailor Moon asked, shivering a bit at how dead the forest looked.

"Yes it is, Princess," Dais replied. "Through here, you will find the path to the fallen Dynasty kingdom. Keep your eyes and ears opened, warriors. This forest can be tricky." He smiled, and then disappeared as he backed away from them.

"Perhaps I should lead the way, Sailor Moon," Sailor Mercury said as her scanner appeared over her eyes. "That way, I'll be able to pinpoint the location of the gate." Sailor Moon nodded her head, and smiled gratefully. Then Mercury, followed by Sai, took the lead and headed into the forest. The others began to follow, and Mars stopped.

"Keep your guard up, everyone," she said. "This place feels saturated with evil." Sailor Mars and Ryo followed the others, with Sailor Moon and Kento bringing up the end. The two walked in silence for a long time, until Kento finally said something.

"Serena," he began. She glanced over at him as they continued walking.

"Yes, Kento," she asked.

"I think it was really great of you to use your wish the way you did," he said. "You could have used it for anything, but you chose to bring Anubis back. Why didn't you just use the wish to make this whole situation go away?"

"I know that it wouldn't have worked, Kento," she replied. "And even if I thought it would have, I would never have made that wish." The two stopped walking, and she turned towards Kento. "Destiny and fate work in strange ways, Kento. I've finally learned that. A force more powerful than we can control wanted all of these events to take place. I have no right to try and change that with a wish, and ..."

"Serena, I love you," Kento blurted out, interrupting her in the process. As she remained silent, he took a deep breath. "I've loved you for a long time. I fell in love with you the moment you risked your life for us, to send us back to our home. When you told Ryo you wouldn't be hurt using the powers of the Moon Princess, I knew you were lying."

"Oh, Kento," she said softly.

"I had this feeling that maybe you felt something for me, too," he continued. "But I know that even if you did have feelings for me, you had already chosen in between me and Darien."

"You're right, Kento. I have already made my choice," she said. Kento closed his eyes, and turned his head to the side. She put her hands on either side of his face, and forced him to look at her. "Kento, I chose you a long time ago," she said, looking deep into his eyes. "It just took me until now to realize that."

Kento searched her eyes, and then a smile broke out onto his face. He picked her up, and swung her around in a circle. He stopped spinning, and the two stood face to face, both with moisture in their eyes. "No words can express how I feel right now," he said in a hoarse voice. He closed the distance between them, and kissed her with all the passion he had been feeling. As their kiss ended, they hugged each other tightly.

"Kento, I love you, too," Serena whispered into his ear. They broke apart suddenly as a flash of light brightened the sky, and shouts were heard from the direction the others had gone in. Wordlessly, the two warriors ran in that direction. They came to a clearing, and saw the other Ronins and Sailor Jupiter fighting several soldiers.

"Where are the other Scouts," Kento asked.

"Sailor Moon, Kento," Sailor Jupiter exclaimed as she noticed them standing there. "You're safe! Watch out for the ... Ah!" She screamed as she was hit from behind. She fell down hard, and then gasped as she was pulled into the ground. "Help me!" Before anyone could get to her, she disappeared into the ground. Soon afterwards, the other soldiers disappeared.

"Lita," Sage yelled. He ran over to where she had been. He tried to dig in that spot, however the ground was too hard. "Lita, answer me," he shouted, pounding on the ground. Finally, he stood up in frustration.

"What in the world was that," Sailor Moon exclaimed. "What happened?"

"All the girls disappeared like that," Sai explained, breathing hard. "And those soldiers we were fighting only seemed to go after them."

"We'll find them, don't worry," Sailor Moon replied. "But we have to keep moving. We still need to find that gate." As Sage was about to say something, Ryo interrupted him.

"She's right," he said. "We need to keep moving, and we need to stick together. If those soldiers were after the other Scouts, they'll be after Sailor Moon, too." The others nodded in silent agreement, and then continued on towards the gate. As they were walking, Rowen stopped.

"Something doesn't feel right," he stated. As Sailor Pluto's words ran through his mind, the sign of Venus glowed on his gauntlets. He notched an arrow on his bow, and pointed it straight up into the air. "Arrow ..."

"Rowen, what are you doing," Ryo asked.

"... Rain Shower," Rowen finished, releasing the arrow into the air. As he did so, dozens of soldiers appeared as a swift moving mist engulfed the area. Thousands of arrows rained down from the sky, striking the soldiers, and destroying a few.

"Oh, I get it," Ryo exclaimed. "Our new powers!" He unsheathed his swords as a few soldiers surrounded him. The sign of Mars glowed red on his gauntlets, and he stabbed one of his swords into the ground. As he did so, a red circle surrounded him and the soldiers around him. He grasped his other sword with both hands. "Firewall ... Flare," he exclaimed. As he said the last part of the phrase, he raised his sword into the air, and a wall of fire shot up from the circle, destroying the soldiers.

"Wow, I didn't think we would have such powerful attacks," Kento exclaimed as he looked down at his gauntlets. "Let's see what I can do." He turned towards the remaining soldiers, and held his weapon in his hands. "Earthquake Submersion," he yelled out. He swung his weapon around, and then hit the ground with it. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and the area underneath the soldiers caved in, taking them with it. Rocks crashed down onto the soldiers, and smoke rose up from the hole in the ground. Kento turned around with a smile on his face, only to find his teammates on the ground. "What happened to you," he asked as he helped Sailor Moon stand, and the others picked themselves up.

"Next time, Kento, just take it a little easier, ok," Sage replied. He gestured towards the area around them, and Kento laughed nervously. His attack had caused cracks in the ground, and some trees had been overturned.

"Sorry," he apologized. The group continued walking, and finally made it to the gate. As they walked towards the gate, four soldiers exploded from the ground, causing the Ronins and Sailor Moon to fly back. The Ronins stood, while Sailor Moon sat up to a kneeling position. "Just how many of these things are they going to send," Kento demanded, annoyed. As he swung his weapon in a circle, Sailor Moon quickly stood and held onto his arm.

"Kento, wait," she exclaimed. "There's something familiar about them. Don't you feel it?" As the warriors looked at the four soldiers, one of them stepped forward, and a mist emitted from it.

"That ... That's Sailor Mercury's powers," Sai exclaimed. He ducked as Mercury's imposter swung its' sword at him. The three remaining soldiers followed suit, and used the powers of the missing Scouts.

"We probably shouldn't attack them," Rowen stated as Venus' imposter thrust a spear at him. "We don't know if it's just a soldier using their powers, or if the girls are in the suit of armors somehow." He continued to block the spear thrusts with his weapon as the soldier's attacks grew more accurate.

"We've got to do something," Sage exclaimed as he dropped down to one knee. He grasped his shoulder in pain, but quickly drew up his sword as Jupiter's imposter jabbed at him with its' sword.

_'I've got to do something,'_ Sailor Moon thought as she took out her scepter and raised it up into the air. "Moon Healing Activation," she called out. The four soldiers looked in her direction, however they were too slow to react in time. Her attack washed over them, and the armor began to melt away. Soon, each one of the Scouts stood where the soldiers had been standing. They fell to the ground, and Sailor Moon relaxed her shoulders. "Well, that worked," she mumbled as she and the others went to check on the Scouts.

*******

"Lotus, why did you leave those soldiers behind," Rini asked as she was pulled along behind her brother.

"Rini, I had to leave them, because the Ronins followed us," he replied. "I felt when Lady Kayura entered this realm. It will only be a matter of time before they find us."

"But, why don't you just tell them what's going on," she asked, confused. "Mommy would understand."

"Mother isn't in this world," he replied, annoyed. "What would make you say such a thing?"

"You don't recognize our Mommy," she exclaimed. "She has the same hairstyle, only she goes by Serena now, instead of Serenity." She bumped into Lotus as he stopped suddenly.

"That was Mother," he asked as a far away look appeared in his eyes.

"Yes, it is," Rini stated. "I'm sure she'd be glad to meet you, Lotus, but she doesn't know about us yet, I don't think."

"It really was her," he reflected. He looked down at his little sister. "And is father ..." Rini nodded her head and he allowed his voice to trail. He swallowed as he felt his throat constrict. "Well, it's all the more reason for us to give the Crystal to my Master," he stated. "And we can be a family once again." He pulled on her arm, signaling that he wanted to continue.

"Will it ... hurt," Rini asked as a worried look crossed her face.

"No, it won't, Rini," Lotus replied. "My Master assured me that no harm would come to you if I agreed to help him get the Crystal." The two continued to walk until they finally reached their destination. As they stepped into the ruined castle, Rini took a step closer to Lotus, and grabbed onto his cape.

"Lotus, this place is creepy. I'm scared," Rini whispered. She gasped as she heard the click of heels against the concrete floor, and her grasp tightened unconsciously as Kite appeared from the shadows.

"You have returned with the girl," Kite stated. "Our Master will be pleased." She looked at Lotus and Rini with no emotion on her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze fell upon Rini. "Come to me, child." Rini looked up at Lotus with questioning eyes, and he nodded his head.

"You can trust her, Lotus Blossom," he coaxed. He pushed her gently towards Kite. "Now go ahead and go." Rini slowly began to inch away from her brother, and as she made her way towards Kite, a cage dropped down, imprisoning her.

"Lotus," she cried out. She grasped the bars, and as she touched them, dark energy began to strike her. She fell to the ground, and the last thing she saw before slipping into unconsciousness was the angry look on Lotus' face.

"Kite," Lotus growled. He rushed towards the cage, however it lifted up into the air, and out of sight. "What's going on here," he demanded. Kite only smirked at him, and he balled his fists angrily. "What has he done to you? Why are you acting this way!"

"Our Master hasn't done a thing, Lotus," she replied. She drew her sword from its' sheath. "But he has other plans for that brat. You've outlived your usefulness, I'm afraid." The kanji of loyalty glowed on her forehead, and she smirked evilly. "I've learned to better control the Warlords' armor. How about I test it out on you?"

_"Kite,"_ Lotus thought, staring at the woman. He stared at her, his gaze locking with hers, and gasped as he saw tears forming in her eyes. Her face contorted into an evil mask, and as she charged towards Lotus, he was frozen in place. He could only watch, as she drew her sword into the air. _"Kite, I won't fight you…"_

__

To Be Continued . . .


	14. This Time Around, Chapter 14

TTA14 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic. It's all done in fun, so enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 14

"Are you sure you girls are okay," Sailor Moon asked the other Scouts, studying each one. "There aren't any side effects from my attack, are there?"

Sailor Mars looked at Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, and then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't feel any different," she replied. The others echoed their agreement.

"Don't worry so much, Sailor Moon," Jupiter said. "You did what you needed to do. I'm sure that any one of us would have done the same."

"Besides, being attacked by you is much better than not being able to control your own powers," Mercury added. "I don't know about you three, but I didn't have any control over my powers or my actions."

"Same here, Mercury," Venus said. "It was too weird for words. I had complete control over my thoughts, but not my actions. I thought that I was going to hurt someone accidentally." She walked over to Sailor Moon and put a hand on her shoulder. "I agree with Sailor Jupiter and Mercury. You did the best thing possible."

"Thanks you guys," Sailor Moon exclaimed. She turned towards the Dynasty gate. "Let's get this rescue mission underway, then!"

"This is the door leading to the Dynasty castle," Venus asked incredulously, staring up at the tall double doors.

"Yeah, this is it," Rowen replied in a grim voice. "I was hoping we'd never have to see these doors again."

"We need to bury the Dynasty once and for all," Kento exclaimed.

"How are we supposed to open the doors," Mercury asked, perplexed. "They look like they've got to weigh at least a ton."

"Each," Jupiter added, pushing the doors slightly to test their weight.

"It won't be too hard," Ryo stated. "Hopefully, the doors will still react to our armor."

"Besides, I'm sure they're expecting us," Sai added. "We'll get through one way or the other."

"You guys ... Rini and Lotus. They were here, standing in this spot," Sailor Moon stated suddenly.

"How do you know that, Sailor Moon," Kento asked, stepping next to her. She pointed down towards the ground, where there were two sets of footprints. One set was bigger than the other one.

"So they were," Sage said, examining the impressions. "That means the door is active, after all." He put his hands on the door, and the others followed suit. Together, the warriors pushed open the door, and a strong force began to pull them inside.

"Hang onto each other, everyone," Ryo shouted, as they were lifted into the air. "We shouldn't get separated!" As the force that was pulling them grew stronger, each of the warriors quickly grabbed the hand of the person nearest to them.

"Sailor Jupiter," Sailor Moon exclaimed frantically. "I'm losing my hold on you! You're slipping!" She looked to the right to see that she was holding Kento's hand. He had a hold of Sailor Mars' hand, and she held Ryo's hand.

"Try to hold on, Sailor Moon," Jupiter exclaimed. She and the other warriors held onto each other tighter, however she could feel her grip on Sailor Moon loosening.

"Kento, please don't let me go," Sailor Moon pleaded. He nodded, and she felt his grip tighten in a deadlock. She cringed slightly, however turned back to Sailor Jupiter. "Jupiter, I can't hold on," she exclaimed. "I'm sorry!"

Sailor Jupiter looked at Sailor Moon in the eyes. "We'll find you, Princess," she said with a solemn look. "Just make sure you all stick together. We'll find you, I promise." Sailor Moon nodded her head, and as Jupiter gave her hand one last reassuring squeeze, the two groups were pulled into different directions.

The doors began to close again, and with a resonating thud, all became silent.

*******

"Ugh, my head," Rini groaned, slowly coming to her senses. She sat up, and instantly remembered where she was. She quickly stood up, and walked over to the bars of the cage. She reached out towards them, however stopped. _'If I touch them, I'll get zapped,'_ she thought to herself. She looked around, and as luck would have it, she saw a rock on the ground. She picked it up, and tossed it against the bars. When nothing happened, she slowly, carefully, put her hands on the bars. She sighed in relief, and then began to shake them. She finally gave up when she realized it was useless.

"_Rini_," she heard a voice call out, eerily soft.

"Who's there," she demanded, looking in all directions.

"_Rini_," the voice repeated.

"Lotus, where are you," she screamed. "Somebody, let me out of here right now!"

"How do you like your cage, Rini," the voice said to her, stepping out of the shadows of the room. Rini gasped as she realized it was Kite. The woman was still wearing her ceremonial kimono. Her black hair was pulled up into two twin ponytails. It wrapped around in a hoop on either side, and the rest fell straight down like a dark waterfall.

"Kite," she said through gritted teeth. "What did you do to Lotus? Where is he? You let me out of here right now!"

Kite cocked her head to the side, and sneered at the little girl. "You may have made Lotus feel insignificant, but it won't work me," she stated. "I think this cage suits you fine. Before long, you, too, will be serving my Master ... That is, if you survive."

Rini studied Kite, and as she did so, a realization came to her. "Kitiana," she exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. You! You're Kitiana!"

"Don't call me that," Kite snapped angrily. "I'm no longer that person."

"Yes, you are, Kitiana," Rini said stubbornly. "You and my brother are best friends. Don't you remember? How could you betray him? How!" A look of regret seemed to pass over Kite's features, however she shook her head violently.

"No," she exclaimed. "You shut your mouth, brat!"

"Kitiana," Rini began. She cried out in pain as Kite reached through the bars, pulling her towards her roughly.

"Now you listen to me, Small Lady," she began venomously.

_'Kite,'_ a voice boomed in her head. She quickly let go of Rini, and stepped away from the cage.

"Yes, Master," she answered the voice. Rini looked at her strangely.

"Who are you talking to," Rini demanded. However, Kite ignored her as she continued listening to the Emperor.

_'I need that child alive. Leave her be,'_ her Master stated. _'Did you take care of Lotus?'_

"Yes, Master," she replied. "He has been immobilized." Rini's eyes widened as Kite continued to talk.

_'Excellent, Kite,'_ the Emperor said. _'I knew you would not fail me. The Ronins and those bothersome Scouts are in this realm, however they have been separated. The Queen is in a smaller group, and she's headed towards this castle. Take care of them.'_

"I will do as you command, Master," Kite replied. "Leave it all up to me." Kite turned towards Rini and smirked. "It seems your mother is on her way, Small Lady. She's a fool."

"Kitiana, what did you do to my brother," Rini asked, on the verge of crying. "Did you kill him? Where is he?"

"I took care of him," she replied, saying each word slowly. The tears that threatened to fall finally spilled down her cheeks, and Rini slid down to her knees.

"No," she whispered. "No, it can't be." She looked up at Kite with a cold expression as her tears continued to fall. "I hate you, Kite."

"Good," she replied. "The more hate you have within you, the easier it will be to turn you!" She seemed to grip something in her hand, and light spread over her body. The dress she usually wore suddenly appeared on her body, and the light settled at her side, forming her sword. "The fun is about to start, Rini. Just sit back and watch."

*******

Sailor Mars slowly opened her eyes, and noticed Sailor Moon, Ryo, and Kento laying on the ground, seemingly unconscious. She crawled over to her leader, and slowly shook her. "Sailor Moon," she exclaimed. "Come on, Meatball Head! Wake up!" Sailor Moon groaned, and then opened her eyes.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," she said, shaking her head. She looked at Sailor Mars, and the two smiled at each other. They both looked towards the other two as they began to stir.

"I never remembered that happening before," Kento grumbled, taking in their surroundings. "But this place hasn't changed any."

"No, it hasn't," Ryo agreed. "And I don't like it. It's too quiet."

"Where do we start looking," Sailor Moon asked, looking around the dark room. "Everything looks the same." The four warriors stood up, and Ryo walked over to Mars and grabbed her hand.

"This place is tricky," he said. "We'd better not let our guard down. We should stay close to each other." Kento grabbed Sailor Moon's hand, and then the four began to slowly walk down a corridor. They passed a slightly opened door, and as they went past, Sailor Moon gasped.

"Look you guys," she exclaimed, causing everyone to stop. "There's someone in that room." She walked over to the door, and quietly pushed it open. In the middle of the room, a figure was laying on the ground, not moving at all. "Oh no," she gasped. "It's Lotus!" She pulled her hand out of Kento's grasp, and burst into the room.

"Wait, Sailor Moon," Mars exclaimed. "It could be a trap." She sighed in frustration when Sailor Moon didn't stop, and ran after her.

"Lotus," Sailor Moon cried. As she reached the figure, she slowed down, and dropped to her knees. She reached a hand towards the figure shakily, and gently turned the person towards her. "Oh, no ... Lotus," she whispered. His eyes were closed, and he was badly beaten. Her vision began to blur as she heard the others run up behind her.

"Sailor Moon," Mars began. Sailor Moon's shoulders began to shake, and she lowered her head down to Lotus' chest.

"I was too late," she sobbed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I couldn't save him. How could this happen? If they did something to Lotus, they must have done something to Rini, too!" She continued to cry and she felt a hand move against her hair.

"M-mother, don't cry," Lotus said quietly. She sat up quickly, and stared down at him.

"Lotus," she whispered. "You're alright!" She grabbed his hand, and smiled as he weakly squeezed it.

He nodded his head once, and then grimaced in pain. "You look like a angel from here, Mother," he continued. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"Lotus, who did this to you," she asked, running a hand gently over his bruised cheek.

"Kite did it," he said. "But it wasn't her fault. Kitiana is under _his_ control, I know she is."

_'Kitiana,'_ Mars thought to herself, as her forehead burrowed into a frown. She shook her head, and turned her attention back towards the scene in front of her.

Lotus opened his other hand, and two orbs were there. The kanji of piety and obedience flashed on either one momentarily, and then disappeared. "I no longer have need for these," he stated as the two orbs disappeared from his hand.

"What happened to them," Ryo asked.

"I denounced owning them, so they returned to their rightful owners," Lotus answered. "I made a grave mistake taking them in the first place. Both me and Kite did, and all for him." He coughed violently, and his face contorted in pain.

"Lotus," Kento said, kneeling down next to Sailor Moon. "We need to know who's after Rini. You've gotta tell us, or else we can't help her." A light seemed to shine in Lotus' eyes, however he frowned.

"He tricked me from the beginning," he said angrily. "He promised me he would help me get the one thing I wanted most, however all he has done is caused my family great pain." He gasped in pain and then clenched his eyes shut as the black upside-down crescent moon disappeared from his forehead.

"Lotus," Sailor Moon exclaimed. She gently picked up his head, and placed it in her lap. She slowly began to rock him back and forth, until his episode ended. "Lotus, don't protect him," she said. "Tell us who he is, please." A tear slowly slid down her face, and landed on his forehead. As this happened, a silvery-white glow surrounded him, and he seemed to shrink. As the glowing disappeared, a little boy with a golden crescent moon on his forehead was there.

"He ... He changed back," Sailor Mars exclaimed as her own vision blurred. The boy's eyes fluttered opened, and he slowly sat up. He looked down at himself, and then over at Sailor Moon.

"Mommy," he cried, latching himself onto Sailor Moon. He pulled away from her, and then threw his arms around Kento's neck. "Daddy!" Lotus' crying subsided, and Kento's eyes grew big as he looked over at Sailor Moon.

"D-Daddy," he asked. However, her expression conveyed the same confusion he was feeling. He slowly hugged the boy back, and a lop-sided smile appeared on his face.

"This is too much," Ryo said, perplexed. He looked behind him as the door slammed shut and disappeared. Sailor Mars' head snapped up in attention as well.

"Isn't this a touching sight," Kite's voice rang throughout the room. "The happy little family is finally almost reunited."

"Kite, show yourself," Sailor Moon demanded, standing to her feet. "Where is Rini? Tell me now!"

"Lotus," Kento shouted. Sailor Moon looked over towards him as dark energy surrounded Lotus and he disappeared. "Damn you, Kite," Kento said, standing angrily. "Bring him back, now!"

Kite appeared slightly in front of the warriors and laughed mockingly. "But I thought that you would be happy for brother and sister to be reunited," she taunted. A lever appeared next to her, and a cage dropped down from the ceiling. Rini and Lotus were in it, clinging onto each other. Kite's mocking smile turned into an evil frown. "I reunite them with each other, and this is the thanks you give me?"

Lotus stood away from Rini, and grasped the bars. "Kitiana, why are you doing this? You've got to snap out of this right now," he pleaded. "Fight the spell, Kitiana."

"Why do you keep calling me that name," she demanded, grasping her head in her hands. "I'm no longer that person. I am Kite, and I will rule by my Master's side! _I will be his Queen!_" She raised a glowing hand towards Lotus and Kite, and Sailor Mars stepped forward.

"Evil spirits," she chanted, holding an ofuda in between her middle and index fingers. She threw the paper towards Kite, and as it stuck to her back, Mars held her hands in the shape of a triangle. "..._Disperse_," she shouted, thrusting her hands forward. The letters on the ofuda began to glow, and a smoky figure seemed to float away from Kite.

"Master," she screamed. The symbol of obedience appeared on her forehead, and then seemed to burn away. A bright flash exploded from her, and as it faded, a tiny girl stood in her place. She fell down to the ground, and Sailor Mars ran to her side.

"She's going to be alright," Mars said as she removed the seal. She looked over towards Ryo as he walked up beside her.

"This must be the person Sailor Pluto was talking about," he stated, looking down at the unconscious girl. "She must be Lotus' best friend, from the future. How bizarre."

Mars nodded her head in agreement, and then turned towards Sailor Moon. "Let's get these three out of here, Sailor Moon," she said.

"Hey, did you forget about us up here," Rini demanded, looking down from the cage. "Get us down from here!"

"Rini, don't be so rude," Lotus scolded, causing Rini to stick her tongue out at him.

"I'll get you down," Sailor Moon called up to them with a small laugh. She ran towards the lever that had appeared next to Kite, and Sailor Mars gasped.

"There's a presence in the room," she exclaimed. "Watch out!" She screamed as Sailor Moon and Kento were thrown back against the wall by an invisible force.

"Kento, Sailor Moon," Ryo shouted. As he ran towards where they had been thrown, he was pushed back as if something was blocking his path. "What in the world?"

"It's a barrier incantation," Mars said as a faintly glowing circle surrounded Ryo, Kite, and herself. "What's going on?" They heard a laugh, and a man appeared in the room.

"I don't believe my eyes," Ryo said, horrified. "This isn't possible!"

__

To Be Continued . . .

This part didn't have as much action as I had hoped. The next part will make up for it, where it lacked in this part. Don't forget to leave those reviews!


	15. This Time Around, Chapter 15

TTA15 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic. They belong to their respective creators/companies. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 15

"Ryo, what's the matter," Sailor Mars asked, shaking his shoulder. However she got no answer from him. He kept staring straight ahead of him, looking at the man who had appeared in front of them. She sighed, and then looked down towards Kite - Kitiana. The little girl slowly opened her eyes and sat up.

"What happened," she asked, turning towards Mars. "Where am I?"

"You were possessed by some sort of spirit, Kitiana," Mars replied slowly. "And now we're confined within this barrier spell."

"Where's Lotus," she asked, looking around. "He's not hurt, is he? I didn't hurt him?"

"No, you didn't Kitiana," Mars said with a small smile. "But both him and Rini are in danger, now. I've got to find a way to break this seal, to help Sailor Moon."

"I'm sorry," Kite replied. She walked over as far as she could, and placed a hand against the invisible wall. "This is my fault."

Sailor Mars walked over next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Kite," she said. "That man, whoever he is ... He's the one that tricked you and Lotus. I'll get us out of here." She sat in a meditating position on the ground, and began to chant words, gesturing with her hands at the same time.

*******

With a large splash, Sailor Venus, Rowen, Sailor Jupiter, Sage, Sailor Mercury, and Sai landed in a pond. As the water began to settle, the six warriors stood up and took in their surroundings. They could see the remains of the Dynasty castle in the distance, however they would have to wade through the pond to get there.

"Wow, this place is beautiful," Sailor Mercury breathed. The comparatively small body of water was adorned with lily pads and their flowers, and fireflies flew above the pond's surface. The moonlight glistened off the surface, giving the scene an almost magical feel. "How can anything so beautiful exist in this place? Everything else is so desolate beyond this pond."

"That's the same thing we wondered the first time we came here," Rowen replied. "This is almost the same exact place we landed in, too."

"Yeah, I remember it," Sai added. "I found this place especially serene."

"Well, there's something beautiful about everything," Sailor Venus stated as she picked up one of the flowers from the water and inhaled its' fragrance.

"Come on, we've got to get going," Sage began, taking charge. "We've got to find Sailor Moon and the others."

"Sage is right," Sailor Jupiter echoed. "She and the others could be in danger." The six warriors began to wade through the waist-deep water, making their way towards the castle. Sailor Venus suddenly gasped as she was swept under the water.

"Sailor Venus," Rowen exclaimed. He ran over to where she had been, however she was nowhere to be found. "Where did she go," he asked, searching frantically. "The water isn't that deep." Suddenly, a soldier burst up through the water, raising Venus high above its' head. It threw her at Rowen, knocking them both down.

"Watch out, here come more," Mercury warned, noticing movement in the water. Dozens of soldiers popped up from the water and began attacking the warriors. They were holding their own, however the Dynasty soldiers greatly outnumbered them.

"Sailor Mercury, behind you," Venus exclaimed. "Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" She sent her attack towards the soldier that had crept up behind Mercury, and destroyed it. Sailor Mercury smiled at her appreciatively as Venus flashed her the peace sign.

"There's too many of them, and I can't use my powers," Sage growled, annoyed. He slashed a soldier in half with his sword, and kicked another soldier that came at him. Sailor Jupiter landed next to him, after having flipped backwards and away from a soldier that had been attacking her.

"I know, Sage," she stated. "If the others weren't here, we'd have the advantage over these tin cans!" A soldier thrust at her with its' spear. She sidestepped, and then grabbed the weapon from the soldier and destroyed it with its' own weapon. [1] "But we'll survive," she added, winking at Sage.

"Arrow ... Rain Shower," Rowen shouted. Dozens of arrows came down from the sky, and he turned to the others. "Come on, let's go!" They took off running as the soldiers were destroyed, and soon made it to dry land. "Well, I think that was the last of them."

"I'm afraid not, Rowen," Venus stated. "Look." She pointed towards the pond as more soldiers rose from the water's surface.

"Everyone, get out of the water," Mercury said. After they complied, she kneeled down at the edge, placing her hands lightly above the water. "Mercury Bubbles Freeze!" The mist passed over the soldiers, and they froze along with the water.

"I'll take it from here," Sai said, holding his trident out in front of him. The sign of Mercury glowed on his gauntlets, and it passed to the end of the trident. "Blue Lagoon," he chanted. Water began to swirl around the end of his weapon, and as it gathered, they turned into ice crystals. "... Rhapsody!" He thrust his weapon towards the soldiers, and the crystals shot forward, destroying the soldiers upon impact.

"I don't like this at all," Sage stated, watching as smoke rose up from the pond's surface. "They just keep appearing. It's as if they're trying to keep us busy." The sign of Jupiter glowed on his gauntlets, and he held his sword in front of him. "Twin Lightning Bolt," he stated as the blade of his sword began to charge with electricity, and the sky darkened. "... Strike!" He swung his sword, and two disks of electricity flew out, striking the water.

"That's brilliant, Sage," Jupiter exclaimed, watching as the water boiled slightly. "Now if any more soldiers come out of the water, they'll be destroyed by the current of electricity that's running through it. I should have thought of that myself!"

"Let's keep moving," Rowen suggested. "Something's wrong, I can feel it."

*******

Kento wrapped his arm around Sailor Moon to help her stand. When she had been pushed back by the force, he had jumped behind her, in an attempt to catch her. However, all that had happened was that he had been thrown back as well, and they both went through the wall. "Are you okay, Sailor Moon," he asked. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, I should be asking you that," she replied. "You're the one that felt the full impact when we hit the wall."

"Didn't feel a thing," he exclaimed, beating lightly on his armored chest. His face set to a frown. "But I'm going to make whoever did that pay." The two limped back through the hole they had made, and looked towards Ryo, Sailor Mars, and Kite. "Hey, Ryo, man, are you guys alright," Kento asked. Ryo was staring ahead of him, with a look of disbelief written over his face, and so Kento followed his gaze. "No, that's not possible," he gasped.

"What is it," Sailor Moon asked, concerned. She looked in the same direction, and saw a man slowly lowering his arm. He was wearing a kimono, and wore a ceremonial headdress on his head. He had a mustache and goatee, and his mouth was drawn in a tight line. "Kento, who is he?"

"We destroyed you when we took care of Talpa," Kento yelled, pushing Sailor Moon carefully behind him. "How did you survive, Badamon!"

Badamon began to laugh coldly. "I have my ways, Ronin," he stated. "You merely destroyed my shadow, all that time ago. And when you defeated Talpa, I was weakened. But I found another source of power." He snapped his fingers, and Rini disappeared from the cage, and reappeared chained to the ground near him. "The power of the White Moon Family."

"Leave my family alone," Sailor Moon cried, stepping out from behind Kento.

"Ah, Serenity," Badamon stated. "You are the cause of so many things. You made a grave mistake helping the Ronins when they came to your world. It was because of you that I learned of the powers of the Silver Emperial Crystal."

"You're lying," she said in disbelief.

"When you used that power against the Warlords, I knew that the crystal possessed a power far greater than any other power I had ever felt," he continued. "I had to have that power coursing through me!"

"No," she whispered, shaking her head.

"You wish to believe yourself innocent, but you can't truly believe that. Not after learning how you treated your son," he said, pointing towards Lotus. "Your own flesh and blood!"

"Don't listen to him, Mother," Lotus said. "I just didn't understand the decisions you made, but I do now!"

"You are the reason he turned to me, Serenity," Badamon exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at her. "And you are the reason your children are in danger now." Sailor Moon fell down to her knees as tears fell down her face.

"Why did you go after them," she asked quietly. "Why didn't you just come after me?"

"It was not my choice," Badamon stated. "When I was in my weakened state, my Nether Spirits created a dimensional portal for me. It took me to the White Moon Kingdom of your future, Crystal Tokyo, during the time of your counterpart's announcement for Small Lady being heir to the throne. I would have preferred to be taken to you, but luck was on my side that day! I gained two followers, and I had the Crystal within my reach. The wretched child took it before I could get to it, and so I had to find her. It was pure coincidence she came to this world. Fate, if you will," he added as an afterthought, chuckling evilly.

"We defeated the Dynasty once before, Badamon," Ryo stated, snapping out of his trance. "We'll do it again!"

"Not this time," Badamon retorted. "I finally have the power I desire right in front of me." He looked up as he heard the sound of footsteps. "The rest of the team is here," he said as the other Ronins and Scouts entered through the hole in the wall.

"Sailor Moon, are you okay," Jupiter asked. "What happened?" As she was checking on Sailor Moon, Kento went over to the lever, and lowered the cage that held Lotus to the ground.

"What's been ... Badamon," Rowen exclaimed incredulously as he noticed the dark priest for the first time. He looked at Kento. "How is he here? Didn't we destroy him?"

"He used one of his tricks," Kento replied. "We only destroyed his shadow in that final fight with Talpa." They looked over towards Sailor Mars as a flash of light momentarily distracted them. Badamon grunted in annoyance.

"I knew you'd give me trouble, priestess," he said to Mars as she, Ryo, and Kite joined the others. Badamon closed his eyes, and began to chant something.

"Oh no," Mars exclaimed as she heard part of the incantation. "He's putting a barrier around himself, to keep us away from him and Rini!" By the time the warriors closed the short distance between themselves and Badamon, the priest had already conjured up the wall.

"Now to take what I desire," Badamon exclaimed. Rini floated into the air vertically, as if some force had pulled her. She gasped in alarm as Badamon held his glowing had over her.

"Badamon, don't do it," Sailor Moon pleaded, distressed. She pressed her hands against the barrier, and was hurt by the dark energy. "Take my crystal, just leave her alone!"

Badamon ignored her pleas, and lowered his hand towards Rini. "Chu, tei, nin, ko, jin, chi, shin, gi, inochi," he chanted. [2] Rini began to scream as the jewel began to crystallize and take form above her chest. Her eyes became glazed over as the crystal fully materialized. He grabbed the crystal, and pulled it towards him. He began to laugh maniacally as it attached to his headpiece.

"Rini," Lotus cried.

"Rini, no," Sailor Moon screamed. "You ... you'll pay for your evil ways, Badamon," she stated, determined. She stood up, or rather, floated up into the air. Her sailor suit disappeared, and was replaced by pink ribbons streaming out of her locket.

"Such power running through me," Badamon stated. He looked towards Sailor Moon, and scoffed. "You'll never have enough time for a transformation! I'll make sure of it!" As the Ronins and Scouts rushed to protect Sailor Moon, Badamon thrust his hand forward, pushing the nine warriors back with his power. They struck the wall, and were pinned there as shackles appeared over their wrists and ankles.

"Sailor Moon, run," Jupiter screamed. However Sailor Moon made no attempt to listen. Lotus watched in shock, and Kite shook her head.

"Lotus, snap out of it," she shouted finally. "We've got to help Sailor Moon."

"It's too late, Kite," he said sadly. "We can't do anything."

"Yes, we can, Lotus," she argued, shaking him. "We owe it to them to try. Remember our mission!" He slowly shook his head, and she smiled. "Good, then transform, Lotus!" Lotus stood up, and the kanji of justice appeared on his forehead as his sub-armor appeared over him.

"Armor of Hardrock, tao gi," he shouted. His battle armor began to assemble on him piece by piece. When his transformation was complete, his armor was a replica of Kento's armor, from the helmet to the weapon. The armor was the color of Mother of Pearl, although orange was the dominant color, and the symbol of the Moon glowed on his gauntlets. "Your turn, Kitiana," he stated.

She nodded her head, and a small pen appeared in her hand. "Mars Crystal Power," she shouted. A fire engulfed her, and as it faded she was left standing in a sailor suit. She had a white body suit, and her skirt was the color of Mother of Pearl, with red being the dominant color. She wore elbow length white gloves, and red high heels. The bow in the back was red, and the bow on the front was purple. She wore star-shaped gold earrings, and the choker she wore bore the kanji of virtue.

Badamon turned his attention away from Sailor Moon, and looked at Lotus and Kite. "So, you wish to fight me," he stated. "I don't recommend that! Your powers aren't nearly powerful enough to defeat me!"

Sailor Moon looked over at the two young warriors and smiled. _'Please,'_ she begged silently. _'Just buy me a little time.'_

"I'm Sailor Crystal Mars," Kite said, stepping forward. "Like my mother before me, I have sworn to protect the Royal Family. In the name of Mars, I will do all it takes to protect the future Queen! Prepare to be defeated!"

Lotus stepped forward, and lowered his weapon. "You will suffer for the grief you caused my family, Badamon," he exclaimed. "Victory will be ours!" He glanced at Sailor Crystal Mars, and then swung his weapon around. "Rockslide Explosion!" A rumbling sound shook the castle, and then the ground underneath Badamon defied gravity as it exploded upwards, sending him flying. As he landed, Sailor Crystal Mars stepped forward.

"My turn," she exclaimed. She threw an ofuda at Badamon, and a circle surrounded him. She put her hands together, with her index fingers touching, and pointed it towards the evil priest. "Mars Firewall Burn!" A column of red light shot up from the circle surrounding Badamon, and a barrage of sparks hit him, engulfing him in a flame. As the column of light disappeared, Badamon stumbled around, but kept his footing.

"It didn't work," Lotus exclaimed, alarmed.

"It will take more than that to defeat me," Badamon exclaimed. He sent dark energy towards the young warriors, knocking them off their feet.

"Lotus, Kite," Kento exclaimed. He turned to the others. "We've got to help them, guys." The warriors struggled futilely against the shackles. "Run, you two," he shouted.

"I can't do that, Father," Lotus replied, as he and Sailor Crystal Mars stood. "We have to protect Mother, until we can no longer fight." The two warriors ran at Badamon, punching and kicking collectively. Badamon smacked them aside, and they landed in a heap.

"Badamon, stop this right now," Sailor Mars screamed. "Your fight is with us, not them!" Tears formed in her eyes, and spilled down her cheeks. "You've got the find the strength to get up and run, please! Kitiana, Lotus!"

"And now this little charade ends," Badamon said, raising a glowing hand towards the fallen warriors. As he released the energy there, a figure jumped down in front of the duo, and there was a big explosion. When the smoke cleared, Sailor Moon stood there. She had her scepter raised in the air, and smoke snaked around an invisible shield that protected the three warriors from the blast. "Impossible," Badamon exclaimed.

"You have threatened my family for the last time, Badamon," she stated. "No one harms the people I care about and love ... _Ever_!" She put one hand to her locket. "Moon Cosmic Power!" A light appeared over her body, renewing her powers. Stars replaced the crescent moons on her boots and earrings, and two barrettes appeared near the "dumplings" on her head. Her skirt was striped with a line of blue and yellow, and two strips of ribbon streamed down from her bow on her back, and stopped above her knees. She outstretched her hand, and the crystal on Badamon's headpiece floated away from him and into her hand.

"What's going on," he demanded, feeling his newfound power leaving him. He watched as Sailor Moon calmly walked over towards Rini, and placed the crystal in the middle of her chest. A locket appeared around it, and Rini's eyes fluttered open.

"Sailor Moon," Rini asked, confused. She smiled as her future mother nodded her head, and she hugged her around the waist.

"It's alright now, Rini," she replied. "We can go home, as soon as I take care of one other thing. Go to your brother, and wake him up." As Rini did as she was told, Sailor Moon turned towards Badamon and frowned. "With the Moon Purification scepter, the reign of the Dynasty will be over."

Badamon closed his eyes, and began to chant. "Chu, tei, nin, ko…chu, tei, nin, ko." Nether spirits began to float above his head.

"Moon Beam Purification," Sailor Moon shouted. Light poured forth from the scepter, diminishing the spirits upon contact. As the beams of light struck Badamon, he screamed out in agony.

"You have truly won, Ronin Warriors," he stated. The final beam hit him, and he disintegrated into a pile of ash and smoke. The shackles disappeared, and the Ronins and Scouts rushed over to Sailor Moon's side. Kento swept her up into a hug.

"Are you okay," he asked, smoothing down her hair.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied. She looked at Lotus as he and Rini joined their side. "Thank you, Lotus, for protecting me." She kissed him on the forehead, and then pulled both Lotus and Rini into a hug.

Meanwhile, Sailor Mars knelt down next to Sailor Crystal Mars, and gently shook her awake. She smiled fondly as the girl slowly opened her eyes. "Kite, are you okay," she asked. She slowly shook her head.

"Are Sailor Moon and Rini safe," she asked, shaking her head.

"Yes, you and Lotus protected them both very well. Thank you for your help," Mars replied. "You… you're my daughter?"

"And Ryo's," Crystal Mars replied. "I'm heir to the throne in the future, Mother. I'm your first born."

"You do have Ryo's eyes," Mars exclaimed, taking her future daughter into her arms. As she pulled away from her, she had tears in her eyes. "There are so many things I want to know!"

"Hey you two," Ryo interrupted apologetically. "We'll have to finish this back at Mia's. We'd better get going. The others are already leaving."

"You're just the same as you are in the future, Daddy," Crystal Mars stated, grabbing his hand. His face flushed slightly as he smiled at her. Then, he, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Crystal Mars followed the others. Once everyone was safely out of the castle, Kento turned back around towards the entrance.

"I'm taking care of this castle once and for all," he stated, pulling his weapon in front of him. He turned towards Lotus and smiled. "Wanna help me, Lotus?"

"Sure," Lotus exclaimed, his face beaming with a smile. The two samurai stood next to each other, their weapons raised. "Rockslide Explosion," Lotus exclaimed.

"Earthquake Submersion," Kento echoed. In a matter of seconds, future father and son had leveled the castle. After they were done, Rini ran to Lotus and hugged him.

"We finally have our family back, Lotus," she exclaimed. "Let's go home."

__

To Be Concluded ...

[1] _This is a reference to my side-fic, "Unity - Lita and Sage." Sailor Jupiter is just using a technique Sage taught her. You should check it out, if you haven't read it yet, and review! ^_~_

[2] _"Chu, tei, nin, ko, jin, chi, shin, gi, inochi," ... This mantra Badamon was chanting is basically the traits of the Ronins' and Warlords' armors when they call forth their armor (example - Armor of Wildfire, tao jin)._

Anubis' is chu, Kale's is tei, Dais' is nin, and Sehkmet's is ko.

Ryo's is jin, Sage's is chi, Sai's is shin, Kento's is gi, and Rowen's is inochi. I'm sure you knew theirs, though. ^_^ Be kind, and leave a review!


	16. This Time Around, Chapter 16

TTA16 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic. They belong to their respective creators/companies. Enjoy!

This Time Around

Chapter 16

Anubis sat on the couch with his eyes closed in concentration. Mia and Yuli were lying down on the couch next to him, and both were sound asleep. Darien kept a vigil by the window, waiting for the return of the Scouts he had sworn to protect.

"It's dawn already, and still they haven't returned," Darien stated quietly, worry laced in his voice.

"Do not worry, Darien," Anubis stated calmly, opening his eyes. Mia began to stir at the sound of his voice. "All is going as it should."

"How can you say not to worry," Darien asked. "And how do you know everything is alright? Neither of us have heard any word from neither Lady Kayura nor Sailor Pluto."

Anubis opened his hand, and an orb with the kanji of loyalty burning in its' center was in his palm. "My armor has returned to me," he stated. Darien's eyes widened, and Mia slowly sat up.

"Anubis ... your armor," Mia stated, now fully awake. "Does that mean the Scouts and Ronins were successful? Are they coming home?"

"That, I do not know," Anubis replied. "I can only sense the fight, and now, there is not one taking place." A look of worry passed over Mia's face, whereas a calm look passed over Darien's face.

"They're alright," he stated, sighing in relief. "I can feel it. Everything is alright."

"That's correct, Prince Darien," Sailor Pluto stated, appearing in the room. "The children are themselves again, and the three will return to their own time, soon."

"Three," Mia questioned, looking down at Yuli unconsciously.

"Yes, Mia," Pluto said. "There are some things I would like to explain, so that you are not in shock when the warriors return."

*******

As the ten warriors, Lotus, Sailor Crystal Mars, and Rini exited through the gate the Ronins and Scouts had used to enter the Dynasty realm, the scenery they saw surprised them. Instead of the dead trees, a lush forest met their eyes. Birds could be seen in the treetops, and dew could be seen sparkling off the grass as the first sign of light stretched across the forest floor.

"This isn't the same place, is it," Sailor Moon asked, slightly confused. "It couldn't be! This place is so ... alive."

"That's because you have freed the land of its' evil, Princess," Lady Kayura stated, appearing before the warriors. "There is no longer any threat from the evil Dynasty, and the forest has returned to its' former peace and beauty." She turned towards the children and smiled. "It's good to have you back to normal, Prince Lotus, Princess Kitiana, and Princess Rini."

"Did you know about Kitiana being our ... I mean, did you know she was a princess, too," Ryo asked Kayura, stumbling over his words. She shook her head, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"It was the one thing Sailor Pluto did not mention, Ryo of Wildfire," she replied. "I guess some things she needed to keep herself." She paused and looked at each of the Ronins. "I am truly sorry for not sensing Badamon was still alive. I could have saved you all a lot of trouble if I had known that fact."

"There was no way for you to know," Rowen stated, stepping towards Kayura and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I think we all had thought that he had been destroyed, especially since Anubis had given up his life to expel him from your body."

"I had my suspicions, Rowen of Strata," she replied with a sad smile. "But what's done is done. Now come, there are people who are awaiting your arrival." Everyone nodded in silent agreement, heading in the direction towards the Shrine of the Ancient Clan.

"Lady Kayura," Sailor Crystal Mars said, running to catch up with the older woman.

"Yes, Princess," Kayura replied, looking down towards her.

"Is it alright if I can de-transform now," she asked. "There aren't any more enemies, right?"

"You can do that if you wish, Princess of Mars," Kayura replied. Sailor Crystal-Mars sighed in relief as a red flash of light surrounded her body, and her sailor suit was replaced by her normal clothing. They resembled the priestess robes Rei wore around the Temple. Kite's action seemed to set the others into motion as they, too, reverted back to their normal clothing.

"Rini," Kite said, stepping next to the younger girl. "I'm sorry for all I've done to you. I hope you know I would never do it purposely, and I would never try to harm you. My actions were ... unacceptable. I hope you can accept my apology."

"You don't have to apologize," Rini replied. "I know you weren't yourself. Let's just be friends, ok?" She extended her hand, and Kite gladly shook it. The ten warriors and Lady Kayura smiled as the three children ran off in front of them.

"Maybe we can have peace at last," Mina exclaimed. "Do you think the fighting is really over?"

"I don't think it's ever really over, Mina," Lita replied. "We thought so after defeating Beryl and her minions, and then again after Alan and Ann."

"For now, let's just enjoy the break while it lasts," Sage interjected, wrapping an arm around Lita's waist. The rest of the walk was silent, save for the chattering of the three children. Upon their arrival to the Shrine, they found Kale, Dais, and Sekhmet waiting for them.

"Congratulations, Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors," Kale exclaimed as the warriors walked up to the sacred building.

"Your thanks should go to Kitiana and Lotus," Ryo said, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "They're the ones that saved the day."

"So they are," Dais said. "And aren't they also the ones that took our armor?" He smiled as the two lowered their heads in shame. "Well, I see why the armor reacted to them. They are both strong warriors." The two looked up and smiled, obviously relieved.

"Yes, I'd have to agree," Sekhmet chimed in. "Our fate rests in very capable hands." He knelt down next to Rini and smiled. "As for you, there's a certain boy who is waiting for your safe return."

"Yuli," Rini exclaimed, turning towards Lady Kayura. "Can we go back, now, Lady Kayura?"

"Yes, Rini," she replied, raising the Ancient's staff into the air.

*******

As Sailor Pluto finished up her explanation, Mia, Anubis, Darien, Luna, and Artemis sat in semi-stunned silence. Luna was the first to break the quiet atmosphere. "Crystal Tokyo does still exist, correct," she asked, throwing a glance towards Darien. "I always assumed that Crystal Tokyo would not exist if Serena and Darien didn't rule side by side."

"Crystal Tokyo still exists, Luna," Sailor Pluto replied. "The only difference is that Neo Queen Serenity will rule with a different King by her side."

"But, why," Artemis asked. "How?"

"The future is not so set in stone, as our Princess seems to think," Pluto said. "It changed the day the Ronins met the Scouts." A silence filled the room as everyone was left to his or her own thoughts.

"So Kitiana is really Rei and Ryo's daughter in the future, and Kento is Rini's and Lotus' father," Mia asked, absorbing all the information she had just received. Sailor Pluto nodded her head in silent acknowledgement. "Does that mean that the rest of the Ronins and the Scouts are together in the future, as well?" Sailor Pluto smiled a secret, knowing smile.

"It means that the future is safe, for now," Sailor Pluto replied. She looked up, as if sensing something. "They're on their way back as we speak."

"Does that mean Rini is with them, too," Yuli asked. Pluto nodded her head, and Yuli smiled. "I can't wait to see her again. I'm glad she's alright, now."

"Sailor Pluto," Anubis stated. "What will happen upon their return?"

"Small Lady, Prince Lotus, and Princess Kitiana will stay here, until I have set forward the motion of time in the future," Pluto replied. "I have already made it so that the Ronins are enrolled in school, and they will start soon."

"Did I hear you mention school," Kento asked with a groan as he and the others entered the house.

"Hey everyone," Ryo said.

"Rini, Ryo," Yuli exclaimed, running to where they stood, and hugging his best friend.

"Yuli," Rini exclaimed, as she hugged him back.

Suddenly, White Blaze bounded towards the door, knocking his master onto the ground. "I'm glad to see you too, boy," Ryo said, pushing his pet off of him. The Siberian tiger nuzzled against Rini, and then growled as Kite stepped towards him.

"Come on, Blaze, you know me," Kite said, cautiously extending a hand towards him. She pulled it back quickly as his growl grew louder, and he bared his teeth.

"White Blaze," Ryo and Rei said sternly, causing the tiger to lower his ears and tuck his tail.

"It's alright," Kite stated sadly. "He must think I'm still the enemy."

"You're wrong Princess," Sailor Pluto said, stepping towards the girl. "The White Blaze you know is a descendant from this White Blaze. It will take time for him to trust both you and Lotus." Her eyes seemed to light up at the older woman's words.

"You're all probably hungry, so let me fix breakfast," Mia offered.

"I'll help you, Mia," Lita said.

"No, Lita, you relax," Kayura stated. "I'll help Mia while you all rest. You've all had a tough night." The two women left towards the kitchen. Two hours later, after everyone had eaten and the dishes were washed, the warriors sat around talking.

"What happens now, Sailor Pluto," Serena asked. "What do we do from here?"

"As I have explained to Mia, Anubis, and Prince Darien, the three children will stay here until I have corrected the future," Pluto replied. "And the Ronins will be starting school in a couple of days, when you and your Scouts return to your regular schedules."

"Sailor Pluto, am I now officially a Scout, since I have a brooch like Sailor Moon," Rini asked, noticing for the first time, the brooch in the middle of her chest.

"Yes, Small Lady," Pluto replied, turning towards Rini. "However, I need to take the crystal." Darien cleared his throat as Rini gave the crystal to Pluto.

"Sailor Pluto, should you still be calling me prince," he asked.

"Your highness, even though you aren't marrying Princess Serenity, you are still of royal blood," she replied. "It would be disrespectful to call you anything else. Remember, you still play a very important role in the future."

"That's right, Uncle Darien," Rini exclaimed. "You help train Lotus and the other boys as warriors!" She clasped a hand over her mouth as she realized what she had said.

"It's alright, Small Lady," Pluto said. "I have already spoken with Prince Darien about his role in the future." She smiled at the girl, and then stood. "Now I must go. The sooner I leave, the sooner you can return to your homes. For now, I bid you all a farewell." With those final words, Sailor Pluto disappeared, returning to the time gate.

"Serena, can I talk to you," Darien asked.

"Sure, Darien," she replied, standing from her seat. "Let's go out on the porch." He gave her an appreciative smile before heading outside. She closed the door behind her, and turned towards him. "What's up," she asked.

He took a deep breath, and then looked towards her. "Serena, I'm not going to lie to you," he began. "This whole situation is confusing to me. I still love you." He walked over to her and cupped her face in his hands, and a look of sorrow crossed her face. Sighing, he dropped his hands to his sides and looked away. "But, I know that you would be happier with ... Kento."

"Darien," she stated, putting a hand on his shoulders as tears filled her eyes. "Thank you, for understanding." He turned back towards her with a sad smile on his face, and tears in his own eyes.

"I swear that I will help protect your family, Princess," he stated. He stepped towards her, and lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Tell the others that I went home. You all need your rest." Before Serena could say anything, Darien turned and ran down the stairs, down the driveway, and towards the busy street.

"Take care, Darien," she whispered, grasping the necklace he had given her in her hand. With a sigh, she turned back towards the door, and as she entered the house, she was surprised that it was nearly empty, except for Mia and Anubis. The couple sat closely together on the couch, talking quietly. "Where did everyone go," she asked.

"To bed," Mia replied. "Everyone said they were tired, so they headed upstairs. You should try and get some rest, too, Serena. You look tired."

"That's a good idea, Mia," she stated, heading towards the stairs. She stopped and turned back towards Anubis and Mia. A smile crossed her face as she watched them cuddle again, and then she went up the stairs.

*******

"Hey Serena, Kento, wait for me," Molly yelled, running down the stairs of the school, towards the couple. The couple stopped, and turned towards the voice, waiting for the girl to catch up with them. "Thanks for stopping, guys."

"No problem, Molly," Serena replied with a smile. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Well, I wanted to catch up with you two, and ask if you wanted to join me and Melvin at the arcade," Molly asked. At the mention of her boyfriend, he came bounding down the steps. "So what do you say? Would you like to join us?"

"I'm really sorry, Molly, but I can't today," Serena replied. "You know my family that's in town? Well, they're leaving later this afternoon."

"Well, what about you, Kento," Melvin asked. "You're still pretty new around here."

"Sorry, but I promised Serena I'd go with her, to see her family off," he replied apologetically. "Maybe tomorrow, after school."

"Alright, then, we'll see you two later," Molly exclaimed. She and Melvin waved their good-byes, and she left saying what a sweet couple Serena and Kento made.

"I can't believe it's been two weeks already," Serena said to Kento as the two began to make their way towards the park. "I'm going to miss them so much." Kento wrapped an arm around her as tears formed in her eyes, and kissed the side of her head.

"It will be alright, Serena," Kento stated solemnly. "I'm going to really miss Lotus and Rini, too. We were just lucky we had the opportunity to meet them." She nodded in silent agreement, and the two continued walking, until a voice called out to them from behind.

"Hey Meatball Head, Kento," the voice called out.

"Rei," Serena growled, turning around. However, she never got the chance to finish as Rei put a hand over her mouth.

"You two were just going to leave us, huh," she asked, motioning towards the other warriors. "We'd like to see Kitiana, Lotus, and Rini off, too, you know!" She crossed her arms, however there was a sad look in her eyes.

"Well, if you two start bickering, we're going to miss them altogether," Lita exclaimed. "So let's get a move on!" The ten warriors ran the rest of the way to the park, only to find that Darien was already there, the three kids in tow.

"Hey you guys, look who's here," Darien said to the kids as the warriors came to a stop near them. Lotus, Rini, and Kitiana turned towards the warriors, suddenly becoming quiet.

"So," Ryo began, swallowing the lump that had begun to form in his throat. "I guess this is it." His words seemed to put the three kids into action, as they rushed to their parents, who knelt down to hug them.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to miss you so much," Kite sobbed, putting an arm around Rei's and Ryo's necks, and burying her face into their shoulders. "I wish I didn't have to leave!"

"We'll miss you, too," Rei stated, holding Kite close. "But just think, you'll be with the parents you know, the ones that have raised you."

"She's right, you know," Ryo said quietly, smoothing down Kite's hair as she nodded her head silently.

Meanwhile, Serena hugged Rini while Kento hugged Lotus. "Did you already say goodbye to Yuli," Serena asked the little girl.

"Yes, I did," Rini replied. "I wish I didn't have to leave him behind." Serena smiled, and then looked over towards Kento, who was telling Lotus what a strong warrior he was.

"Thanks, Dad," Lotus said quietly, stepping away from Kento. He and Rini traded places, and as he stood in front of Serena, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Lotus, I wish I had gotten to know you a little better," she whispered to him. She pulled away from him, and looked at him as if she were memorizing his face. "When you go back home, don't blame yourself for what happened. Your mother and father don't blame you ... Trust me, I know."

"I'm going to miss you so much, Mother," Lotus exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Serena once again. "Thank you." She reluctantly released him so that he could join Rini and Kite in saying their good-byes to the others. There was a momentary flash of light, as Sailor Pluto appeared.

"Sailor Pluto, what are you doing here," Serena asked.

"I have come to take them back myself, Princess, to assure they have a safe trip," she replied, turning towards the children. "Are you ready to go?" They nodded their heads, and walked towards Pluto to stand by her.

"You guys be good, okay," Kento said to the three, adding a wink.

"And Lotus, don't forget what I said. It's important that you remember it," Serena added. He nodded and smiled.

"Kitiana, give your brother a hug and kiss from us, okay," Rei said, her voice wavering. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying, and Ryo put an arm around her.

"Thank you for taking such good care of the Prince and Princesses," Sailor Pluto said. "I promise they will make it back safely." The time wormhole opened, and she bowed towards Serena before leaving.

"We'll see you in the future," the three children chorused, before they, too, disappeared.

*******

A time wormhole opened up onto a vast hillside, and four figures stepped out. "Welcome back home, Prince and Princesses," Sailor Pluto said to the children as they took in their surroundings.

"Our home ... It's restored back to normal," Lotus said in awe. "How?"

"When I returned the Crystal to your mother, the land was renewed, Prince Lotus," Sailor Pluto explained. "But right now, that is not important. Look, Princess Kitiana," Pluto said, pointing with her staff.

"It's my parents and my brother," Kite exclaimed as she saw three figures in the distance. "And White Blaze," she added, noticing the tiger. She looked towards Sailor Pluto, and then took off running towards the figures as the woman nodded her head in approval. "See you later, Lotus," she called back over her shoulder. Lotus waved and Rini began to look around, as if she were searching for someone.

"Where are our parents, Sailor Pluto" she asked the Time Guardian. She turned around, and gasped. "Mommy, Daddy," she exclaimed as she saw the two figures standing behind Sailor Pluto. Lotus spun around, and a smile lit up his face.

"My children," Neo Queen Serenity exclaimed, kneeling down. They rushed forward, and she embraced them, covering them both with kisses. "I missed you both so much."

"Mother, I understand your decisions better, now," Lotus exclaimed. "And I am ..."

"Shh, Lotus," she interrupted, placing a finger over his lips. "All that is important, is right here in front of me." Tears filled his eyes, and he hugged his mother once more.

"My job here is finished, your Majesties," Pluto said with a smile. "I bid you farewell."

"Setsuna," Kento exclaimed. She turned towards him slightly. "Thank you so much, for bringing my family together." She nodded her head slightly, and then disappeared.

"Let's go home," Serenity stated. She took Lotus' hand, and smiled as Kento picked Rini up, and put her on his shoulders.

_'I finally have what I've always wanted,'_ Lotus thought to himself happily. A smile lit up his face as he, his parents, and his sister made their way to their home.

__

The End ...

Well, I hope you all enjoyed my mini-saga, if you'd like to call it that! It looked weird calling Kento "_Neo King Kento/King Kento_," so I didn't. *sweatdrops*

Thank you all for sticking with me! I hope you all approve of the ending. Please don't forget to leave your comments! Bye for now.


End file.
